What is a Cataract?

There is definitely confusion about what a cataract is. Many people think that it is a film that grows over the eye and can easily be seen. It is actually a clouding or opacification of the natural lens in the eye. The same lens you were born with that has been sitting behind your pupil, now that it is cloudy is called a cataract. This clouding generally occurs gradually due to aging but is also related to UV light exposure, genetic predisposition, trauma and systemic diseases. Some cataracts especially in younger patients will form more rapidly. As a cataract worsens, the vision diminishes and often people complain of glare. The only treatment for a visually significant cataract is surgery. Next time we will talk about cataract surgery.