Optical Health and Cataracts

Optical Health and Cataracts
Q. What's the 'scoop' on cataracts?

A. A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps to focus light or an image on the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. In a majority of cases, cataracts are related to aging and are very common. According to the U.S. National Eye Institute (NEI), by age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.

To receive a sharp image, the lens in the eye must be clear. If the lens is cloudy from a cataract, the image will appear blurred. The lens primarily consists of water and protein. When the protein clumps up, it clouds the lens and reduces the amount of light that reaches the retina. Protein clumps are responsible for most age-related cataracts. Once the clouding becomes severe enough, blurred vision will result.

The symptoms of a cataract include cloudy or blurry vision, faded colors, the appearance of halos around lights and increased glare. Poor night vision, double or multiple images in one eye or frequent changes in your eyeglasses or contacts may also be indicators of cataracts.

The risk of cataracts increases with age. Other risk factors include certain diseases such as diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption and prolonged exposure to ultraviolet sunlight. The NEI recommends an eye exam through dilated pupils every two years for those 60 and older. For more information check out www.nei.nih.gov/health/risk.asp.