Ling, a 75-year-old grandmother, complained that her vision was becoming obscured. upon examination by an ophthalmologist she was told she had cataracts. what are they, how do they occur, and how are they treated?

A cataract is simply the clouding on the lens of the eye that makes it a little more difficult to see, causing some distortion as if looking though a fogged window. Some of these are congenital but generally they are age related due to the lens hardening an thickening as well as a side effect of diabetes. It is likely caused by inadequate delivery of nutrients to the deep lens fibers. Smoking and frequent exposure to intense sunlight increase ones risk for cataracts, but long term vitamin c supplements can help decrease the risk. In order to treat this condition, the lens can be removed and then replaced with an artificial lens.

Generally travels west to east but often shifts to north and south