What is cataract?
Cataract ('safed motia') is a clouding or opacity of the normally transparent lens inside the eye. To understand why this leads to loss of vision, it is important to understand the functioning of a normal eye.
Inside the eye, behind the colored part of the eye (iris) with the black hole in the center (pupil) is a lens. In the normal eye the lens is clear or transparent. It helps to focus light rays on to the tissue at the back of the eye (retina). When cataract develops the lens becomes cloudy and prevents the light rays passing into the retina. The picture that the retina receives becomes dull and fuzzy. Cataract usually forms and progresses slowly and therefore leads to a gradual blurring of vision.
What causes cataract?
Most forms of cataract develop in adult life. The normal process of aging causes the lens to harden and become cloudy (opaque). This is called age-related cataract and it is the most common type. It can occur anytime after the age of 40. In younger people they can result from an injury, certain drugs, long-standing inflammation or illnesses such as diabetes. Babies can be born with this condition. This is called congenital cataract.
Cataract ('safed motia') is a clouding or opacity of the normally transparent lens inside the eye. To understand why this leads to loss of vision, it is important to understand the functioning of a normal eye.
Inside the eye, behind the colored part of the eye (iris) with the black hole in the center (pupil) is a lens. In the normal eye the lens is clear or transparent. It helps to focus light rays on to the tissue at the back of the eye (retina). When cataract develops the lens becomes cloudy and prevents the light rays passing into the retina. The picture that the retina receives becomes dull and fuzzy. Cataract usually forms and progresses slowly and therefore leads to a gradual blurring of vision.
What causes cataract?
Most forms of cataract develop in adult life. The normal process of aging causes the lens to harden and become cloudy (opaque). This is called age-related cataract and it is the most common type. It can occur anytime after the age of 40. In younger people they can result from an injury, certain drugs, long-standing inflammation or illnesses such as diabetes. Babies can be born with this condition. This is called congenital cataract.
