Why do people get cataracts? Beware of common causes!

The eyes are windows to the world, but as we age, our vision gradually declines. Many middle-aged and elderly people often mistakenly think they have presbyopia when they feel their vision is blurry. It is not until their vision has seriously deteriorated and they are examined that they discover they have cataracts. So what exactly causes cataracts?

What are the causes of cataracts?

1. Senile cataract

Senile cataract is a phenomenon of aging. As we age, the lens in the eye gradually hardens and becomes cloudy, causing visual impairment. Symptoms include foggy vision, color changes, black spots in front of the eyes, double vision, etc.

2. Traumatic cataract

Cataracts are more likely to occur due to eye injuries such as car accidents, blunt force trauma, punctures from sharp objects, or penetrating foreign bodies in the eye, as well as lens degeneration with age.

3. High myopia induces cataracts

It often occurs in middle-aged and older patients with high myopia. Because the degree of myopia in patients continues to deepen due to long-term improper use of eyes or unscientific correction, floaters, macular hemorrhage, and fundus retinal lesions appear, inducing cataracts.

4. Congenital cataract

Congenital cataracts are caused by heredity, chromosomes, intrauterine infection, etc. The symptom is that white or gray cloudy spots can be found in the pupils of infants shortly after birth.

5. Metabolic cataract

Cataracts are caused by endocrine diseases or biochemical abnormalities. For example, diabetes, hypokalemia, and thyroid dysfunction may cause cataracts.

What are the early signs of cataracts?

Hua Xia, director of Tianjin University Aier Eye Hospital, said that cataracts can actually be traced. If there is a gradual loss of painless vision without symptoms such as red eyes or eye pain, you should consider whether you have cataracts. You can also self-test the following early signs of cataracts to achieve early detection and early intervention of cataracts.

Is your vision blurry, or is your sensitivity to brightness or color reduced?

Do you have double vision in one eye? Do you feel like you have double or multiple images when you look at things?

Is there any abnormality in color vision, such as seeing colored halos around lights, also known as "iris vision"?

Do you have day blindness or night blindness, which is poor vision during the day or at night?

Do you see any dark shadows in fixed positions or shapes in front of your eyes?

Have the symptoms of presbyopia been alleviated?