What are Cataracts and How Are They Caused ?
What Are Cataracts?
Imagine looking through a clear window that slowly becomes foggy or cloudy. That's essentially what happens with cataracts. A cataract is when the lens inside your eye becomes cloudy, making it harder to see clearly.
Your eye has a natural lens that sits behind the coloured part (the iris). This lens is normally crystal clear, like a camera lens, and helps focus light so you can see sharp images. When a cataract forms, this lens becomes cloudy or opaque, blocking some of the light from reaching the back of your eye.
What Does Vision Look Like with Cataracts?
People with cataracts often describe their vision as:
Blurry or hazy, like looking through frosted glass
Colours appearing faded or yellowed
Increased sensitivity to bright lights or glare
Seeing halos around lights at night
Difficulty reading or doing close-up work
What Causes Cataracts?
The most common cause is simply getting older. As we age, proteins in the eye's lens start to break down and clump together, creating cloudy patches. This is completely normal and happens to most people if they live long enough.
Other causes include:
Diabetes - High blood sugar can damage the lens
Smoking - Chemicals in tobacco harm eye tissues
Too much UV exposure - Like getting a sunburn on your lens
Eye injuries - Trauma can trigger cataract formation
Certain medications - Especially long-term steroid use
Genetics - Some people are born with cataracts or develop them early due to family history
The Good News
Cataracts are incredibly common and very treatable. Cataract surgery is one of the most successful operations performed today. During the procedure, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens, usually restoring excellent vision.
Most cataracts develop slowly over the years, so you'll have plenty of time to plan treatment when you're ready.
When to See an Optometrist
If you notice any changes in your vision, especially:
Increasing blurriness
Difficulty driving at night
Colours looking faded
Trouble reading even with glasses
It's worth having an eye exam. Your optometrist can easily detect cataracts and help you decide when treatment might be helpful.