WHAT IS A CATARACT? Many people think a cataract is a growth on the eye, but that’s not the case. The eye actually works a lot like a camera, using a lens to focus on an image. A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye as you age. Over time, cataracts can affect your vision, and may end up limiting your activities and ability to enjoy life. A normally functioning lens focuses light onto the retina to produce clear images. When cataracts are present, the lens is cloudy, obstructing light from the retina. This is what causes blurred vision. Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over 40 and are the number one cause of blindness in the world. In fact, there are more cases of cataracts worldwide than there are of glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy combined, according to Prevent Blindness America (PBA). Today, cataracts affect more than 22 million Americans age 40 and older. And as the U.S. population ages, more than 30 million Americans are expected to have cataracts by the year 2020, PBA says. By age 80, more than half of all people will either have a cataract or will have undergone cataract surgery. There is no way to prevent cataracts from developing and surgery is the only way to reverse the process. Fortunately, technological advances in cataract surgery have created a safer, more precise and customized procedure for today’s cataract patients. 8C A T A R A C T S E X P L A I N E D 22