A cataract is a clouding of the natural lens inside of the eye. This lens is located behind the iris, or colored part of the eye. It works just like the lens of a camera focusing light images onto the retina (or film of the camera), which sends the image and message to the brain where vision is actually interpreted.

The human lens can become cloudy with the aging process. The best way to correct the cataract is to remove the old cloudy lens and replace it with an intraocular lens implant. A cataract can be responsible for blurred vision, color reduction, difficulty seeing at night to drive and difficulty reading small print even with the use of glasses. Cataracts cannot be prevented, but removing the cataract and replacing it with an artificial lens should restore the vision to normal. The time to have cataract surgery is when the quality of your vision begins to put limits on your activities and enjoyment of life. There is no "right time" to remove a cataract. As a rule of thumb, surgical treatment by cataract removal is appropriate when your vision impairment interferes with your activities of daily living.