{"id":16686,"date":"2021-08-05T10:19:31","date_gmt":"2021-08-05T10:19:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=16686"},"modified":"2021-08-05T10:20:17","modified_gmt":"2021-08-05T10:20:17","slug":"can-eggs-explain-cataracts","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-conditions\/guide-to-cataracts\/can-eggs-explain-cataracts\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Eggs Explain Cataracts?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>What do an egg and a cataract have in common? Their color!<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Imagine, you\u2019re in the kitchen making breakfast. You break an egg over the edge of your frying pan, gently opening the cracked shell to let the raw egg hit the heated pan.<\/p>\n<p>As the egg begins to cook, the transparent egg white starts to become cloudy, eventually turning white.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s now shift our thoughts from an egg to an eye.<\/p>\n<h2><b>The lens<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The lens is a nearly <b>transparent<\/b> structure suspended behind the iris of the eye. Its main purpose is to focus and direct light rays onto the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/how-does-the-eye-work\/eye-anatomy-the-back-of-the-eye\/\">retina<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The lens is made up of unique elongated cells that receive nutrition from the surrounding fluids, mostly the aqueous humour that bathes the lens&#8217;s front. These fluids are also used to eliminate waste materials.<\/p>\n<h2><b>What is a cataract?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s return to the egg&#8230;like a raw egg white, a lens starts off transparent. However, as we age, protein can build on the lens, turning it cloudy \u2014 like an egg white in a frying pan.<\/p>\n<p>This <b>clouding, or opacity,<\/b> of the lens is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/eye-conditions\/guide-to-cataracts\/\">cataract<\/a>.\u00a0 The cloudier the lens becomes, the more difficult it is for light to get through, leading to a decline in vision.<\/p>\n<p>Luckily, cataracts that impair vision can be treated with surgery, which involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with an artificial lens.<\/p>\n<p><b>SEE RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/eye-conditions\/guide-to-cataracts\/can-i-prevent-cataracts-naturally\/\">Can I Prevent Cataracts Naturally?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>If you\u2019ve noticed a clouding of the lens, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">contact an eye doctor near you.<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"practice-search-widget\">\n\t\t<h3>Find an eye doctor near you<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t<form class=\"practice-search-form practice-search-form-widget\" action=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/results\/\" method=\"get\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"page\" class=\"practice-search-page\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_latitude\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_longitude\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"address\" class=\"practice-search-address\" placeholder=\"City, Surburb or Address\" value=\"\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t<button type=\"submit\" class=\"practice-search-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M10.6796 0.130005C9.15708 0.130059 7.66615 0.5646 6.38198 1.38258C5.09781 2.20057 4.07373 3.36803 3.43004 4.74783C2.78634 6.12763 2.54976 7.66246 2.74808 9.17205C2.9464 10.6816 3.57139 12.1033 4.54964 13.27L0.729639 17.08C0.6364 17.1732 0.562439 17.2839 0.511979 17.4058C0.461519 17.5276 0.435547 17.6581 0.435547 17.79C0.435547 17.9219 0.461519 18.0524 0.511979 18.1743C0.562439 18.2961 0.6364 18.4068 0.729639 18.5C0.917942 18.6883 1.17334 18.7941 1.43964 18.7941C1.5715 18.7941 1.70207 18.7681 1.82389 18.7177C1.94571 18.6672 2.0564 18.5932 2.14964 18.5L5.99964 14.62C7.35406 15.6038 8.98566 16.1324 10.6596 16.13C12.7814 16.13 14.8162 15.2871 16.3165 13.7869C17.8168 12.2866 18.6596 10.2517 18.6596 8.13C18.6596 6.00827 17.8168 3.97344 16.3165 2.47315C14.8162 0.97286 12.7814 0.130005 10.6596 0.130005H10.6796ZM10.6796 14.13C9.49295 14.13 8.33291 13.7781 7.34622 13.1188C6.35952 12.4595 5.59049 11.5225 5.13636 10.4261C4.68224 9.32975 4.56342 8.12335 4.79493 6.95946C5.02644 5.79558 5.59788 4.72648 6.437 3.88736C7.27611 3.04825 8.34521 2.4768 9.5091 2.24529C10.673 2.01378 11.8794 2.1326 12.9757 2.58673C14.0721 3.04085 15.0092 3.80989 15.6685 4.79658C16.3277 5.78328 16.6796 6.94332 16.6796 8.13C16.6796 9.7213 16.0475 11.2474 14.9223 12.3726C13.7971 13.4979 12.2709 14.13 10.6796 14.13Z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"practice-search-use-my-location\">\n\t\t\tSearch near me\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\n\t<\/form>\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<h2><b>Cataract symptoms<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Besides clouding of the lens, an untreated cataract will eventually cause:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Blurred vision<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/eye-conditions\/guide-to-blurry-vision-and-headaches\/having-difficulty-seeing-at-night\/\">Poor night vision<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Increased sensitivity to light<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">A yellowing or dullness of colors<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Halos, especially around headlights from oncoming cars<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>How to treat a cataract<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>The only way to treat cataracts is eye surgery.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>During <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/eye-conditions\/guide-to-cataracts\/cataract-surgery-what-to-expect\/\">cataract surgery<\/a>, the clouded lens inside your eye is replaced with an artificial lens. During the surgery, a surgeon will create a tiny cut in your eye to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with a clear plastic one.<\/p>\n<p>After cataract surgery you should:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Experience less glare<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">See things in focus<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Be able to look at bright lights<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Tell the difference between colors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Can cataracts be prevented?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Unfortunately no. Most people will develop cataracts eventually.<\/p>\n<p>The best approach to naturally preventing cataracts from developing is to adopt healthy lifestyle::<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Consume foods that promote eye health<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Stay hydrated<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Reduce or eliminate alcohol intake<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Stop smoking<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Wear <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-optical-lenses\/sunglasses\/\">sunglasses<\/a> to block harmful UV rays<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Maintain healthy blood sugar levels<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Get your eyes checked regularly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If your general health changes or if you experience any vision changes, it is important to speak with an eye doctor.<\/p>\n<p><b>LEARN MORE:\u00a0<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/eye-conditions\/guide-to-cataracts\/\">Guide to Cataracts<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b><i>To maintain healthy vision, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">contact an eye doctor near you<\/a>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i>One thing\u2019s for sure, cooking eggs will never be the same again.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What do an egg and a cataract have in common? Their color! Imagine, you\u2019re in the kitchen making breakfast. You break an egg over the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1206,"featured_media":16687,"parent":12439,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-article.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16686","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Can Eggs Explain Cataracts? - Optometrists.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-conditions\/guide-to-cataracts\/can-eggs-explain-cataracts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can Eggs Explain Cataracts? - Optometrists.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What do an egg and a cataract have in common? 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