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Who gets cataracts?
Like gray hair, cataracts are basically unavoidable. For most
people, cataracts in the form of slight lens opacities start to
develop in their 50s and surgery is typically performed in their
50s, 60s, and 70s. For nearly all patients, the cataracts are
related to age, lifetime sun exposure, and genetics. In the other
patients, the cataract may be related to diabetes, steroid use
(for asthma, allergies, or immune problems), or trauma.
Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness but, fortunately,
cataracts are easily treated and cured. Everyone who lives long
enough will end up having cataract surgery, and this explains
why it is the number one surgery performed in the USA, with
about 3 million performed last year.
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