Health Talk - Cataracts #1

I'd like to talk to for a minute about cataracts.

Hi, i'm dr. dan bennett, an opthamologist on staff at baptist memorial hospital golden triangle.

I'd like to talk to for a minute about cataracts.

The question arises often what are cataracts?

A common misconception is that cataracts are a growth over the eye, but in actuality a cataract is a clouding of the natural lens of the eye that sits behind the pupil and affects vision.

Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over the age of 40 and are the principal cause of blindness in the world.

Cataracts can be undetectable at first, but grow to the point of causing symptoms. if left untreated, cataracts can cause vicsual impairment and can develop into a legal blindness.

A cataract can cause cloudy, blurry or double- vision, and may fade colors or cause a glare around light sources.

Cataracts can also cause poor night vision and frequent changes in optical presriptions.

Whether day or night, cataracts can cause fixed, dark spots before the eye.

Rarely, infants are born with cataracts.

Some cataracts are due to certain medications or trauma, but the majority of cataracts are related to aging and are common in older people.

By age 80, more than half of all americans either have a cataract or have had a cataract surgery.

A cataract can occur in either or both eyes, and it cannot spread from one eye to the other.

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