Cataract is an eye disease in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively more opaque, resulting in blurred vision. Cataract is the largest cause of blindness in the world. According to the IAPB Vision Atlas 2020, 100 million people have cataract. Of these, 17 million people are blind and 83 million experience vision impairment, with rates of vision impairment and blindness higher in women than men.
Cataract causes include aging, cortisone medication, diabetes, trauma and many others.
Symptoms of cataract include pinpoint vision and a feeling of continual fog that can go as far as blindness.
Cataract is diagnosed through eye tests, including visual acuity and retinal exams.
Sight can be restored with cataract surgery. The cataract surgeon removes the opaque lens and replace it with an artificial intraocular lens.
