“June is Cataracts Awareness Month. As the year nears its midpoint, aging adults are advised to pause and learn more about a vision-worsening condition that occurs around age 40 when proteins in the eye lens begin to break down, clump and form a cloudy area over time. Cataracts affect 70 percent of adults by age 75, and recent CDC data* indicate more than 17% of adults above age 40 have a cataract in one or both eyes.

Risk factors linked to early development and quicker progression of cataracts include excessive sunlight exposure, smoking, and long-term use of steroid medication. Medical conditions linked to higher risk include diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and prior eye surgery or eye injuries. Aging adults should discuss their health behaviors and history with their eye specialist to evaluate risk for developing cataracts and other age-related eye diseases to prevent blindness.”

UNC school of medicine / school of medicine ophthalmology (https://www.med.unc.edu/ophth/2023/06/june-is-cataracts-awareness-month/)