Causes And Diagnoses
Causes and Diagnoses of a Cataract
The main cause of cataracts is aging. Other factors that put you at risk of developing a cataract include:
- Genetic predisposition
- Diabetes and other metabolic diseases
- Long-term use of corticosteroids, diuretics and tranquilizers
- Trauma to the eye
- Previous eye surgery
- Excessive exposure to sunlight
- Living at high altitude
- Chronic eye inflammation
- Smoking
Diagnosing cataracts
Your eye care physician can diagnose a cataract during a routine eye exam that includes:
- Visual acuity test: This common eye chart test measures vision ability at various distances using a series of lenses.
- Pupil dilation: The pupil is widened with eye drops to allow a close-up examination of the eye's lens and retina.