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What is a cataract?
A cataract is a clouding or opacity of the natural lens inside our eye. The lens sits in the eye, behind the coloured part of the eye (the iris). When cataract develops, the lens prevents light rays passing through or alters the pathway of these rays, resulting in objects not focusing sharply on the retina. This degrades the quality of vision.
Throughout life our lens gradually loses its natural elasticity, until the 5th decade of life when its ability to accommodate and focus for near objects becomes significantly compromised. This is known as dysfunctional lens syndrome or presbyopia. Over the next few decades the lens acquires a brownish hue; when the lens has lost its normal clarity and transparency, it is called a cataract.
What symptoms does cataract cause?
Cataracts are usually slow to develop over years, causing a gradual reduction and blurring of vision, a reduction in the sharpness or a degradation in the overall quality of vision. Glare may be noticed at night, even with early cataract; this may cause difficulty with night-time driving. Other symptoms may cause include double vision in one eye and the need for frequent change in spectacles.
A cataract does not cause pain or redness of the eye. However, if you are struggling to see clearly because of cataract and overusing your facial muscles in response, you may develop some headache over prolonged periods of detailed work.