Wednesday, April 7, 2010 as of 11:14 AM ET
A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope (lens capsule), varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light.
Read More at Wikipedia ›Over half of Americans over 80 years old have cataracts or had them removed, according to the National Eye Institute .
Cataracts form when the lens in the eye becomes cloudy, usually as a result of the eye’s normal aging process. Cataracts do not spread from one eye to the other but can cause vision loss in one or both eyes. Luckily, cataracts can often be treated with minimally invasive surgery.Overview An eye works like a camera. The lens of an eye focuses light and then sends it to the retina., which records images in the same way film does. A healthy lens is transparent, and when it becomes cloudy, the retina will receive and record blurry images. To gain some perspective on the effect of cataracts, imagine the pictures taken by a camera with a dirty lens. The photographs may still be visible, but they will likely appear less sharp. Cataracts are essentially smudged lenses in your eyes.Types Most cataracts are caused by aging, but other types of cataracts may develop from different...At the front of each eye lies the cornea, a rounded bulge that allows light inside. That light passes through the pupil, a transparent space in the center of the col...
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Mike Musiker, 80, was recently diagnosed with a cataract in both of his eyes."I was saying to my golfing friends, 'Where'd the ball go?'" Musiker said. "The depth, ...
Older men who opt for hormone-blocking therapy to treat prostate cancer might be slightly raising their risk of developing cataracts , hints new research.However, it...
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Scientists in Australia have created a world-first drug that could prevent blindness from cataracts .The drug -- which targets a specific protein in eye tissue -- ha...
Mike Musiker had been diagnosed with cataracts in both of his eyes, and it was affecting his vision.So the 80-year-old from Long Island, N.Y., turned to a new surgic...
Scientists may have found a way to put off some conditions of aging, according to a study in which they postponed or even prevented such afflictions as cataracts and...
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