Cataracts are the most common reason why people have a reduced level of vision. It is generally associated with getting old but this is not completely true. This article will discuss what cataracts are and who is most at risk of getting cataracts.
The development of cataracts occurs when the lenses in the eyes become cloudy. Generally, the cataracts in each eye develop at a different pace meaning that one eye will have better vision than the other. It is possible to treat the eyes provided the problem is caught early enough.
The lens in an eye is just like the lens you would find on a camera. It allows light to pass through and focuses the light at the back of the eye on the retina. The retina passes this information to the optic nerve that sends it to the brain for interpretation. In humans, the lens is formed from a transparent protein. Cataracts develop when the cells that make up the transparent protein lose their rigidity and start to drift. This often results in a noticeable change in a person's vision. Over time the drifting cells tend to congregate together forming a thick concentration of protein cells. This has the affect of making the lenses opaque or cloudy in these areas. this can affect the ability of the lens to do it's job.
If this process goes undetected, more of the protein will come together making more of the lens cloudy. Eventually the lens will become completely cloudy and no light can pass through it. This will cause blindness in the person.
Cataracts develop because of a unique character of the lens. It has no direct blood supply. Blood nourishes cells in the body giving them mineral, vitamins and in this case antioxidants. Instead the lens relies on the aqueous humor that is located behind the lens for this nourishment.
Cataracts will develop in the lens because of damage caused by free radicals. And because the lens has no blood supply it cannot replenish the cells in the lenses as effectively as other parts of the body. Free radicals react with the cells of the body causing them to decay or breakdown. The body's reaction to free radicals is thought to lead to diseases like cancer occurring. In the case of the lens, the result is a cataract.
Free radicals are normally associated with the foods we eat. If we eat poor quality food more free radicals are produced. However they can also enter the body when it is over exposed to sunlight. With age more free radicals build up and cause more damage to the body. This explains why cataracts are often associated with older age. However their are other things that can increase the chances of cataracts developing in a person.
Exposure to sunlight, or rather the ultraviolet light in sunlight, creates free radicals that damage the lens. Thus the importance of good sunglasses can't be stressed enough, especially if you live in a climate that has plenty of days of sunlight. Or if you work outdoors.
As already mentioned the foods we eat and the way we digest them can also cause a build up of free radicals. Poor quality food, like many processed food cooked or preserved in trans fats will cause a build up of free radicals. Indigestion, constipation and bloating are all signs of poor digestion and keep free radical in the body for longer.
Smoking will increase the chances of developing cataracts.
Contracting other diseases can increase the chance of developing cataracts. For instance diabetes weakens the nervous system and circulation of the body. this can lead to problems with the eyes, particularly cataracts.
It is true that age and genes can influence the chances of getting cataracts but by limiting your exposure to some of the factors listed above you can minimize your risk of developing cataracts.
