Generally speaking, cataract refers to any imperfection in the lens clarity of the eyes. It may be due to several reasons. More specifically, cataract is a painless clouding of the lens of the eye, which lies behind the structures called, the iris and the pupil.

The lens works by focusing light onto the retina at the back of the eye. The lens also adjusts the eye’s focus. Such is responsible for letting us see things clearly both up close and far away. The lenses in our eyes are mostly made up of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a specific kind of way that keeps the lens clear and allows light pass through it normally. But as we age, however, some of the protein may clump together. This clumping of protein could start to cloud a small area of the lenses of the eyes. This is then would result into a cataract.

Over time, the cataract may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder for us to see. In some instances though, cataracts may remain small and may be hardly noticeable. Some cataract cases often do not seriously affect vision and many cataracts do not even need to be removed. However, for some of the cataracts, that grow larger or denser over time and causing severe vision changes, medical and surgical intervention must be done with the aid of opthalmic microscope.

Because the lens in the eyes of a person must be perfectly clear for the light to pass through, the clouding condition in cases of cataract can greatly affect a person’s sight. The nerve cells in the eye’s retina, which can only be viewed through an opthalmic microscope, detect light entering the eye and send nerve signals to the brain about what the eye sees. Because cataracts block such light, vision problems are likely common.  As such, surgical cataract removal with the use of an opthalmic microscope is advised.