Eye Condition--Cataracts

First of all, what is a cataracts? Cataracts is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye. This condition develops very gradually as age progresses and may run in the family. It is not painful, but the affected eye or eyes start to get worse.

Exposure to smoking, toxic substances, and excessive ultraviolet light and sunlight can make cataracts develop even quicker. If you have diabetes and also if you use cortisone medication that also speeds up the cataracts.

Some factors that can develop cataracts:

• Diseases that cause inflammation or affect metabolism
• Eye injury
• Family history
• Long-term use of corticosteroids or certain other medications
• Radiation exposure
• Smoking
• Too much exposure to ultraviolet light (sunlight)

Visual symptoms of cataracts:

• Cloudy, fuzzy, foggy, or filmy vision
• Loss of color intensity
• Double vision
• Difficulty seeing at night
• Problems seeing shapes against a background or the difference between shades of colors
• Seeing halos around lights
• Being sensitive to glare

The only treatment for cataracts is surgery.