Home Remedies and Herbs for Cataracts

The term cataracts refers to a condition of the eye that affects vision. Cataracts are clumps of proteins on the eye’s lens. The lens is a part of the eye that sits behind your iris, or the colored part of your eye, and is responsible for directing light into the eye to produce a clear image. When cataracts form, they appear as a clouding on the lens and can impact a person’s ability to read, drive, and perform other vision-related tasks.^1,2,3 

Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in the United States and the leading cause of blindness worldwide. They can occur at any age, but they most commonly develop later in life. Cataracts appear slowly, and patients may need glasses at first to correct their impaired vision. As cataracts worsen, surgery may be required. Cataracts affect nearly 22 million Americans over the age of 40.^2,3,4,5

What Causes Cataracts?

Cataracts are caused by clumps of proteins that develop on the lens of the eye and block light from the retina. It is not known what causes the proteins to clump, though it’s thought to occur due to chemical changes brought on by age. Risk factors for cataracts include:

• Age
• Diabetes
• Exposure to sunlight
• Smoking
• Medications such as steroids
• Family history
• Obesity
• Heavy drinking
• Previous eye injuries

Women are also more likely to develop cataracts than men.¹

There are four types of cataracts, each with their own causes. These include:

• Age-related cataracts
• Congenital cataracts, meaning they are present at birth
• Secondary cataracts caused by an underlying condition like diabetes
• Traumatic cataracts caused by injury to the eye

Cataracts Symptoms

Cataract symptoms involve issues with a person’s vision, including:

• Clouded vision
• Impaired nighttime vision
• Fading or yellowing of colors
• Double vision in one eye
• Sensitivity to light
• Seeing “halos” around lights
• Frequent changes to eyeglass prescription

Cataracts do not go away on their own, but they can reach a point where they stop progressing. Luckily, cataracts are easy to treat with surgery. Cataracts can also be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices, such as avoiding smoking and wearing UV-protective sunglasses outside. Although you can’t reverse cataracts with home remedies, taking cataract herbs and antioxidants can help promote good eye health. Talk to your doctor if you notice any changes in vision, experience eye pain, or develop sudden headaches.^1,2,3

References

1. http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/cataracts
2. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cataracts/symptoms-causes/dxc-20215129
3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cataracts/home/ovc-20215123
4. https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basics/ced/index.html
5. http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/cataracts
6. http://www.umkelloggeye.org/conditions-treatments/cataract