A cataract is the clouding of the lens in the eye. This lens is responsible for the vision of an individual and is normally clear. A cataract can occur in one eye or in both, and it can also spread from one eye to the other. According to the National Eye Institute, by the age of 80, most people in America will either have a cataract or have had a surgery for cataract. According to MayoClinic.com, the common causes of cataract in woman are increasing age, diabetes, family history or other factors.
Increasing Age
According to MayoClinic.com, increasing age is the main cause for cataracts in any individual. It goes on to report that as a woman ages, the lenses in her eyes become less flexible and less transparent. They also become thicker with age. Changes to the lens due to increasing age make the tissues break down and clump together. This clouds the small area of the lens. The cloudiness becomes denser as the cataract continues to develop and spreads on the entire part of the lens.
Diseases, Eye Injury and Previous Surgery
According to MayoClinic.com, conditions such as diabetes increase the risk of cataracts. It also goes on to report that those women who have high blood pressure are also at increased risk of getting a cataract. Obesity or excessive weight is another factor that increases a woman's risk. If a woman has had eye surgery in the past, she is more likely to develop this eye condition. Use of corticosteroid medications may also cause cataracts in the eye. If a woman has had an eye injury in the past or any inflammation in the eye, her risk of getting a cataract increases.
Family History and Other Factors
According to MayoClinic.com, family history increases the risk of developing a cataract. If someone in a woman's family has had cataract, she is more likely to get it too. Excessive exposure to sunlight is also a factor that can cause cataracts. If a woman is exposed to ionizing radiation, she is more likely to develop this eye condition. Ionizing radiation is used in X-rays and cancer radiation therapy. Excessive amounts of alcohol can also increase a woman's risk of getting this eye condition. Smoking is also considered to be a risk factor for cataracts.
