The lens inside the eye is much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the “film,” or retina. A cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens, which is behind the iris and pupil. The lens is mostly made of water and protein. As we age, the protein may clump together and start to cloud the lens. This is a cataract, and over time, it will progress and cloud more of the lens, causing blurry vision.
Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over age 40, and are the principal cause of blindness in the world.
Cataracts affect more than 22 million Americans age 40 and older, and as our population ages, that number is expected to rise to 30 million in 2020.
Types of cataracts include: