Common Risk Factors and Causes of Cataract – Must-Know Facts to Remember

The cause of cataracts can be traced back to an incident that happened during childhood days. When you were young, the eyeball was shaped like a baseball and this ball of eye tissue, called the iris, was filled with fluid.

A cataract happens when the lens in the eye becomes cloudy, which then causes blurred vision. Cataract surgery is the only way to solve this problem. A cataract is usually caused by two specific medical conditions. One of these conditions is diabetes.

Diabetes increases the amount of glucose in the blood, which results in an increase in pressure in the eye. Cataract usually occurs with diabetic patients because the lens can no longer hold water and moisture. The excess amount of water causes the cloudy lens and hence, cataract develops.

Other medical conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration are also proven to be the causes of cataracts. A cataract develops when the drainage of the excretory system slows down. This leads to decreased flow of fluid and increased pressure in one eye or even both eyes.

This results in blurriness and makes seeing the objects faraway very difficult. The other eye develops hazy or muddy sight. Cataract patients experience various symptoms depending on the degree of their cataract.

Blurred vision is the most common symptom. However, other symptoms include a darkening of the field of vision or inability to focus the eyes and frequent eye twitching. Dryness of the eyes or redness may also occur.

Certain diseases and medical conditions are known to increase the risk factors for cataracts. A family history of cataracts or diabetes, smoking, obesity, and old age are the risk factors for developing cataracts. These factors increase the risk for the development of cataracts in an individual.

A cataract patient has a high risk of developing cataracts if he/she lives in a household where cataracts are also present. Age is also a factor in developing cataracts. As we grow older, the tendency for our body to produce less of this fluid decreases, and as a result, our eyes become less able to drain fluid from the lens.

At an early age-related development of cataracts, the lens does not develop correctly. The result is that the lens cannot properly drain fluid and there is an increase in the risk factors for developing cataracts.

There is no direct link between the development of diabetes and the causes of cataracts. However, diabetics are at a greater risk of developing conditions related to diabetes. A cataract may also be caused by complications of diabetes.

A recent study has shown that the risk of cataract may increase twenty-five percent if a person already has diabetes. A cataract is actually a clouding of the natural eye lens that protects both eyes. It occurs when debris builds up inside the lens or in the middle section, making it hard for the lens to function properly.

A cataract is the most common eye disease that affects adults. Over half of all adults suffer from some type of cataract. There are many different types of cataracts, so knowing the causes of cataracts is important because not all cataract treatments are the same.

One of the leading causes of cataracts is hereditary. Research has shown that there are more cases of cataracts in patients with parents or grandparents who had cataracts than in those with younger parents or grandparents without cataracts. Cataracts are also found in children.

One type of cataract called Uveitis, which is common in children, is the most likely to be associated with genetic diseases. Cataract often develops gradually over the years. Other possible causes of cataracts include medications, environmental factors, and age. Moreover, we suggest you talk to Lowcountry Eye Specialists to know more about eye disorders and to find out early if any treatment is needed.

Eye medications can cause cataracts, including eye drops and eye gloves. The medications themselves don’t create cataracts but can be a risk factor. Therefore, it is important to monitor the medications that we use, especially for potential links to cataracts and eye damage.

A cataract is most common in older adults but can occur at any age. A contributing factor to age-related cataracts is the decreased natural production of moisture in the eyes. This moisture is essential to provide a clear and stable vision.

There is some evidence that overexposure to sunlight may help to contribute to the development of cataracts, although this is not a proven link. Studies have identified two other common types of cataracts. One type is called diabetic retinopathy and the second is called xerophthalmia.

With diabetic retinopathy, which accounts for about 25 percent of all cases, debris builds up on the lens of the eye. This debris, when it finally breaks away from the lens, can allow light to bypass the eye and go through the cornea instead.

With xerophthalmia, which is the second most common type, the blood vessels within the eye become infected, causing the patient to experience double vision.