The condition in which eye’s natural lens (which lies behind iris and the pupil) gets clouded is known as Cataract.
Cataract is common in old-age people and is mostly observed in people of age 40 years or more. According to a report by Prevent Blindness America (PBA), there are more cases of cataracts worldwide than that of other chronic eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. It is also becoming a common cause of vision loss.
Note: As of today, more than 22 million Americans of age 40 or older are suffering from cataract. With the growing population of U.S, it is expected to have more than 30 million Americans to have cataracts by 2020.
What Are The Causes To Cataract?
For having a better understanding of the reasons that cause cataract, you must first know the basics of an eye and its lens.
The lens inside our eye works similar to that of a camera lens, which is, focusing light onto the retina for rendering a clear vision. To let us see things clearly both up close and far away, it adjusts the focus of the eye.
Our eye lens is mostly made of water and protein. The protein in the eye is precisely arranged to keep the lens translucent and lets the light pass through it. However, with the aging process, some of the protein may clump together and begin to form a cloud on a small area of the lens. It initiates the condition of cataract, and this may grow larger making it difficult to view the surroundings.
There is no probable answer for the clumping of proteins resulting in the cataract. But several studies and researches have identified some plausible factors that may cause cataracts or are in some manner associated with its development.
So, besides advancing age, here are some cataract risk factors:
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Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight and other sources
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Diabetes
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Smoking
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Hypertension
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Obesity
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Notable alcohol consumption
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High myopia
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Prior eye injury or inflammation
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Former eye surgery
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Hormone replacement therapy
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Family history
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Extended use of corticosteroid medications
How To Prevent Cataract?
It doesn’t matter what your age is, cataract formation can be prevented. If you are already suffering from cataract, you can slow down its development. All you need to do is be active and discover the relevant healthy tips for avoiding cataract formation. Here is a brief introduction of activities you can follow to prevent cataract:
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Eat Right:
Search the internet for the prevention suggestions of eye diseases, you will find ‘sustain a healthy diet’ as one of the tips in each of the articles you go through. It is because, several studies and researches have shown that a healthy diet with beta-carotene, selenium Vitamin A, C, and E are helpful in warding off the development of cataract.
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Quit Smoking:
To avoid the free radicals that may harm your eye cells. Also, you must limit your alcohol consumption.
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Wear sunglasses:
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To avoid ultraviolet (UV) rays, that may damage the proteins in your eye lens.
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Go for regular eye checkups.