Cataracts
The lens is the transparent area of the eye. Cataracts are opacities in the lens. This occurs when certain proteins accumulate in the lens and cause opacity. These clusters gradually increase in size and interfere with vision. Also distort the light passing through the lens. “Waterfall” means “great waterfall” which refers to the way some people describe their vision, as if trying to see through a waterfall.
A cataract clouds the lens of the eye, limiting or preventing the passage of light and interfering with vision.
In a healthy eye, the lens is transparent
In an eye with cataract, the lens is cloudy
In many cases, cataracts are associated with age. They first appear between 40 and 50. In other cases, cataracts can be caused by eye trauma, diabetes, medications such as corticosteroids or radiation treatments. In the case of infants, cataracts may be present from birth (congenital) or may occur as a result of infection occurred during pregnancy, especially toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, syphilis, rubella, or herpes simplex. In the case of infants and young children, cataracts can also be a symptom that affects how the body processes carbohydrates, amino acids, calcium or copper.
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide and is responsible for about 42% of all cases of blindness. In the United States, the majority of cases are cataracts and age-related affect in any way, more than half of Americans over 65 years. Although it is unknown whether age is a major cause of cataracts, some scientists suspect may be due to chemical changes that affect the eye protein called a-crystallins. Current research suggests that protein a-crystallins prevent other proteins from clumping and forming cataracts. The cause of cataracts is the subject of much research. Factors have been identified as prolonged exposure to bright sunlight and smoking.