A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens. Cataracts are most commonly caused by chemical changes within the lens of the eye, which is thought to be part of the natural aging process. But cataracts may also result from ultraviolet damage, heredity, smoking, trauma, disease, or prolonged use of certain medications. As a cataract forms, the normally clear lens becomes opaque. This partially blocks and distorts the passage of light to the retina. Depending on the degree of cloudiness, a cataract will cause a gradual decrease in vision. The rate which a cataract develops is highly variable. It is not a tumor or a growth, nor is it a film over the eye that can be peeled away.
There are no treatments, eye drops or other medications which will dissolve a cataract or slow down its progression. Frequent change of eyeglass prescriptions may be necessary in early stages of cataract development. The only effective treatment of cataract is surgery.