WHAT IS A CATARACT?
A cataract is a clouding of a part of the eye known as the crystalline lens. The lens is a clear tissue located behind the pupil - the dark circular opening in the middle of the iris or colored part of the eye. The lens works with the transparent cornea, which covers the eye's surface, to focus light on the retina at the back of the eye. When the lens becomes cloudy, or cataractous, light cannot pass to the retina properly, and vision is blurred and decreased.

Although cataracts result from many conditions, the most frequent cause is the natural aging process. Other causes may include injury, chronic eye disease, and other system-wide diseases such as diabetes.