Anatomical Abnormality
cataract
cat·a·ract [ kat-uh-rakt ]
Subclass of:
Lens Diseases
Etymology:
Greek kataraktes = waterfall or cataract; from kata = down + arassein = to dash
A term used of a waterfall, a trap door, and a portcullis; also applied to the opacity of the crystalline lens which closes down the door on vision.
A term used of a waterfall, a trap door, and a portcullis; also applied to the opacity of the crystalline lens which closes down the door on vision.
Definitions related to cataract:
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A cataract is a clouding of the lens in your eye. It affects your vision. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. A cataract can occur in either or both eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other. Common symptoms are Blurry vision; Colors that seem faded; Glare - headlights, lamps or sunlight may seem too bright. You may also see a halo around lights.; Not being able to see well at night; Double vision; Frequent prescription changes in your eye wear . Cataracts usually develop slowly. New glasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses or magnifying lenses can help at first. Surgery is also an option. It involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. Wearing sunglasses and a hat with a brim to block ultraviolet sunlight may help to delay cataracts. NIH: National Eye InstituteMedlinePlusU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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A cataract is an opacity or clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its capsule.Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO)The Human Phenotype Ontology Project, 2021
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A clouding or fogging of the lens of the eye that may blur or tint vision.Harvard Dictionary of Health TermsHarvard Medical Publishing, 2011
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A condition in which the lens of the eye becomes cloudy. Symptoms include blurred, cloudy, or double vision; sensitivity to light; and difficulty seeing at night. Without treatment, cataracts can cause blindness. There are many different types and causes of cataracts. They may occur in people of all ages, but are most common in the elderly.NCI Dictionary of Cancer TermsU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Opacity of the crystalline lens.NICHD Pediatric TerminologyU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Opacity or cloudiness of the crystalline lens, which may prevent a clear image from forming on the retina; may be congenital or caused by trauma, disease, or age.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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Partial or complete opacity of the crystalline lens of one or both eyes that decreases visual acuity and eventually results in blindness. Some cataracts appear in infancy or in childhood, but most develop in older individuals. (Sternberg Diagnostic Surgical Pathology, 3rd ed.)NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Partial or complete opacity on or in the lens or capsule of one or both eyes, impairing vision or causing blindness. The many kinds of cataract are classified by their morphology (size, shape, location) or etiology (cause and time of occurrence). (Dorland, 27th ed)NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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A disorder characterized by partial or complete opacity of the crystalline lens of one or both eyes. This results in a decrease in visual acuity and eventual blindness if untreated.Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse EventsU.S. National Institutes of Health, 2021
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A cataract is a congenital or degenerative opacity of the lens. The main symptom is gradual, painless vision blurring. Diagnosis is by ophthalmoscopy and slit-lamp examination. Treatment is surgical removal and placement of an intraocular lens.Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
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A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of your eye. For people who have cataracts, seeing through cloudy lenses is a bit like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. Clouded vision caused by cataracts can make it more difficult to read, drive a car (especially at night) or see the expression on a friend's face.Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
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Cataract is the opacification of the crystalline lens that results from the normal aging process, trauma, metabolic disorders (hereditary or acquired), medications, or congenital problems. This monograph mainly addresses acquired cataract.Athenahealth, Inc., 2019
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Cataract, opacity of the crystalline lens of the eye. Cataracts occur in 50 percent of people between the ages of 65 and 74 and in 70 percent of people over the age of 75. Typical age-related cataracts can cause cloudy vision, glare, colour vision problems, changes in eyeglass prescription, and...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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