What causes cataracts?
Disease description:
I've been having a bit of blurred vision lately, as if there's a layer of fog in front of my eyes. I heard it might be cataracts, which worries me a lot. What exactly causes cataracts? Is it due to aging, or are there other factors involved?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Shuai
Cataract is a common eye disease primarily characterized by the clouding of the eye's lens, which affects the entry of light into the eye and results in decreased vision. Its causes mainly include the following aspects:
1. Age: With aging, the lens may gradually become cloudy, leading to the development of cataracts. Particularly in middle-aged and elderly individuals over 50 years old, the risk of developing cataracts increases due to degenerative changes in the lens.
2. Genetics: Some cataract patients have a familial predisposition, and gene mutations can directly cause abnormalities in lens proteins, triggering cataracts.
3. Trauma: After eye injuries, the lens may be damaged, causing protein denaturation and increasing the risk of developing cataracts.
4. Metabolic diseases: For example, diabetic patients, due to poor blood sugar control, experience abnormal sugar metabolism within the lens, producing high concentrations of sorbitol, which causes swelling and cloudiness of lens fibers.
5. Environmental factors: Prolonged exposure to harmful light such as ultraviolet and infrared radiation, or inhalation of smoke, dust, and chemicals, may damage the lens and accelerate its aging process.
