Cataracts are most commonly defined as a clouding of the eye’s lens, which can interrupt light entering the eye. The lens of the eye is behind the pupil and the iris (the colored part of the eye) and is normally clear. A clear lens enables the retina to receive a focused image to send to the brain. Because your lens with a cataract can cause your vision to be blurry or dim, cataract surgery may be needed.

More than half of all people in the US have cataracts by the time they reach 80 years old. Although rare, cataracts can be found in young people and even newborn babies.