Cataract

A cataract is a clouding of the natural lens inside the eye. The lens works much like the lens of a camera, focusing light on the retina which sends images to the brain. When the lens becomes cloudy, it prevents light and images from reaching the retina, resulting in blurred images, dulled colors and glare. It may become difficult to read, drive and perform many daily functions. Vision with cataracts has been described as seeing though a cloudy film. However, a cataract is not a film over the eye, and neither diet nor medications will make it go away. When a patient’s lifestyle is affected, the best way to treat a cataract is with surgery to remove the old, clouded lens and to replace it with a new, clear artificial lens implant to restore vision.