Cataracts
Cataracts are cloudy areas in the lens inside the eye - which is normally clear. Cataracts can develop in one or both eyes. If they develop in both eyes, one will be more severely affected than the other. A normally clear lens allows light to pass through to the back of the eye, so that the patient can see well-defined images. If a part of the lens becomes opaque light does not pass through easily and the patient's vision becomes blurry - like looking through cloudy water or a fogged-up window. The more opaque (cloudier) the lens becomes, the worse the person's vision will be.
There are two types of cataracts:
Age related cataracts - they appear later in life; the most common form.
Congenital cataracts (childhood cataracts) - these may be present when the baby is born, or shortly after birth. Cataracts
The following factors may increase a person's chances of developing cataracts: Age, Family history, Diabetis, Ionizing radiation exposure,Statins, Long-term exposure to bright sunlight, Long-term use of corticosteroids, Previous eye inflammation or injury, Exposure to lead and Crystallins loss of function
