cataracts
A cataract is the clouding of the lens of the eye. More than 20 thousand people a year develop cataracts. Normally, light passes through the clear lens and is focused onto the retina. However, the natural aging process can cause the lens to become cloudy. The cataract or cloudy lens blocks the passage of light through the eye and causes distorted or blurred vision, glare, or difficulty seeing in poor lighting conditions.
​
As cataracts form, activities like reading, computer work, or driving can be difficult. With cataract surgery vision can be restored quickly allowing patients to get back to seeing clearly in a very short period of time. Cataract surgery is the most common operation in the world. In the United States, more than 2.7 million procedures are performed annually. (National Institutes of Health) With new advances in cataract surgery, vision improvement begins almost immediately, and an eye patch isn’t even needed.