- Cataract
- Glaucoma
- Eyelid Surgery
- Cosmetic Treatments
- Refractive Surgery
- Eye Conditions
Understanding Cataracts
What is a Cataract?
The eye can be compared to a camera. Light passes through the cornea (the transparent window at the font of the eye), which begins the process of bending (refracting) the light rays. It then passes through the pupil, which is a round opening in the centre of the iris beyond which it travels through the lens. The lens bends the light rays further in order to focus them on the retina (corresponding to the ‘film’ of an old-style camera). Nerve impulses are transmitted from the retina to the visual cortex at the back of the brain to enable us to see.
A cataract is simply a clouding of the lens.
A cataract is simply a clouding of the lens. It is a normal part of the ageing process, and most people over the age of 60 will have a cataract to some extent. Both eyes are usually affected.
Cataracts can occur at an earlier age, and are sometimes caused by steroid-use, direct trauma, diabetes and inflammation inside the eye.