What is senile cataract :Senile cataract is a vision-impairing disease characterized by gradual, progressive thickening of the lens.

It is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world today. This is unfortunate, considering that the visual morbidity brought about by age-related cataract is reversible. As such, early detection, close monitoring, and timely surgical intervention must be observed in the management of senile cataracts. The succeeding section is a general overview of senile cataract and its management.

as smoking, exposure to other toxic substances, and exposure to excessive ultraviolet light or sunlight. They may develop at any time after an eye injury. Diseases such as diabetes also greatly increase the risk for cataracts. Certain medications, such as cortisone, can also speed up cataract formation.

Adult cataracts are classified as-:

*Immature cataract :lens has some remaining clear areas *Mature cataract :completely cloudy, or opaque lens, which means you can't see through it

The lens of the eye is normally clear. If the lens becomes cloudy, the condition is known as a cataract. Rarely, cataracts may be present at or shortly after birth. These are called congenital cataracts. Adult cataracts usually develop very gradually with advancing age and may run in families. They develop slowly and painlessly, and vision in the affected eye or eyes slowly gets worse. Cataracts develop more quickly if there are some environmental factors, such

*Hypermature cataract :lens tissues are breaking down and leaking through the surface covering, which can damage other structures in the eye.

1-Clouded, blurred or dim vision 2- Increasing difficulty with vision at night

3-Sensitivity to light and glare 4-Seeing "halos" around lights 5-Fading or yellowing of colors

At first, the cloudiness in vision caused by a cataract may affect only a small part of the eye's lens and you may be unaware of any vision loss. As the cataract grows larger, it clouds more of your lens and distorts the light passing through the lens. This may lead to signs and symptoms you're more likely to notice.

The only treatment for cataract is surgery to remove it. Surgery is done if you cannot perform normal activities, even with glasses. If a cataract is not bothersome, then surgery is usually not necessary. However, some people may have additional eye problems, such as diabetic retinopathy, that cannot be treated without first having cataract surgery.

Factors that may contribute to cataract development are:

Diseases that cause inflammation or affect metabolism Eye injury Family history Long-term use of corticosteroids or certain other medications Radiation exposure Smoking

Vision may not improve to 20/20 after cataract surgery if other eye diseases, such as macular degeneration, are present. Ophthalmologists can usually, but not always, determine this in advance.

Too much exposure to ultraviolet light (sunlight)