More About Cataracts and Cataract Surgery

·         A cataract is a "clouding" of the lens in your eye.  The lens, located just behind the iris or the colored part of your eye, works like the lens of a camera.  It picks up images, then focuses the lights, colors, and shapes on the retina – the transmitter located at the back of your eye that sends the images to your brain.  In a normal eye, light passes through the lens and gets focused on the retina. To help produce a sharp image, the lens must remain clear. 

·         In its early stages, a cataract may not cause a vision problem.  The cloudiness may affect only a small part of the lens.  Over time, the cataract may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it more difficult to see objects clearly. 

·         There are several causes of cataracts, including aging, smoking, diabetes and excessive exposure to sunlight.  Cataracts also can develop soon after an eye injury, or even years later.

·         Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide and the number one cause of poor vision in the U.S.[1]  According to a recent article published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, more than 20 million adults in the U.S. have developed cataracts.

·         Cataracts are extremely common; more than half of Americans age 65 and older have a cataract, and it is thought that nearly everyone will develop one if they live long enough.[2]

·         The total number of persons who will have cataracts is estimated to rise to over 30 million by 2020.[3]

·         In more than 90 percent of cases, cataracts are caused by the aging process,[4] and cannot be prevented.

·         Women have a significantly higher age-adjusted prevalence of cataract than men in the United States.[5]

·         While not all cataracts require surgery, nearly three million cataract procedures are annually performed in the U.S.[6] 

·         Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most effective types of surgery.[7]