A cataract is a
clouding of the
normally clear
lens of the eye.
Much like the
way the lens of
a camera focuses
on the film to
make a picture,
the lens of your
eye focuses
light on the
retina to form
an image. If the
lens of your
camera becomes
dirty or fogged,
then the picture
taken will be
hazy or blurred.
A cataract
causes the image
on your retina
to blur in the
same manner by
interfering with
the ability of
the light to
pass through the
lens to the back
of your eye.
The lens
consists of a
clear material
called cortex.
It is this
cortex that
becomes cloudy
resulting in a
cataract. The
clouding of the
lens is not a
disease or a new
growth. It is
simply a change
that takes place
in the eye's own
lens. This
change is most
commonly the
result of the
aging process,
although some
very young
patients develop
cataracts for
unknown reasons.
Injuries,
certain
diseases, and
some medications
may cause
cataracts.
