Health & Medical Eye Health & Optical & Vision

The Potential Causes of Cataracts

In order to have proper vision, light must pass through the lens of the eye which lies behind the iris or colored part of your eye.
This lens is made up primarily of water and protein.
Typically due to the aging process, the protein can gradually build or clump together and form a film over the lens that restricts the amount of light that passes through the lens resulting in cloudy or blurred vision.
Why this change occurs in the lens is has not been definitively determined, however, researchers have identified several factors that may play a significant roll that may aid in finding prevention methods.
Environmental Causes Suspected in the Development of Cataracts One of the suspected causes of cataracts is UV or ultra violet light exposure which is the reason many experts suggest that we protect our eyes from direct sunlight by wearing sunglasses which are capable of protection from ultra violet rays.
Environmental factors such as air pollution and cigarette smoke are also thought to be potential causes as well as exposure to cosmic radiation experienced by airline pilots and astronauts.
Some medical experts also believe that cataracts may develop simply due to wear and tear experienced over the years.
Other Potential Causes Associated with the Development of Cataracts Medical experts believe that regular or heavy usage of alcohol also may be a potential cause of cataracts as well as diet that includes a lot of sodium.
Individuals with diabetes are also at a high risk for developing cataracts and studies have also found a link between certain medications and cataracts that include tranquilizers, steroids, and steroids.
While the majority of cataracts are due to the aging process, this condition can occur from an eye injury, eye surgery, exposure to radiation, and in rare cases infants are born with congenital cataracts.


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