Understanding Cataract in Old Age

The question asks what happens to old aged people when they get cataract. Cataract is a common eye condition that affects vision, particularly in older individuals.

What is Cataract?

A cataract is the clouding of the eye's natural lens. The lens is located behind the iris and pupil and works like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina at the back of the eye to create clear images. When the lens becomes cloudy, it prevents light from passing through clearly, causing blurry or hazy vision.

Effect of Cataract on the Crystalline Lens

In older age, the proteins within the crystalline lens of the eye can begin to break down and clump together. This clumping is what causes the lens to become cloudy or milky, leading to a cataract. This process obstructs the passage of light, resulting in diminished vision.

Let's evaluate the given options based on this understanding of cataract:

• Option 1: Crystalline lens of people in old age becomes milky and cloudy. This statement accurately describes the physical change that occurs in the crystalline lens when a cataract develops. The lens loses its transparency and becomes opaque, appearing milky or cloudy.
• Option 2: Crystalline lens of people in old age becomes clear and shiny. This is the opposite of what happens in cataract. A healthy, clear lens is necessary for good vision. A cataract makes the lens opaque, not clear and shiny.
• Option 3: Iris becomes cloudy. The iris is the colored part of the eye that controls the size of the pupil and regulates the amount of light entering the eye. Cataracts affect the lens, not the iris. While other conditions can affect the iris, cloudiness of the iris is not characteristic of cataract.
• Option 4: Pupil becomes dull. The pupil is the opening in the center of the iris that allows light to enter the eye. It appears black. The pupil's appearance doesn't typically become "dull" due to cataract itself, although the clouded lens behind it might affect how light is reflected. The primary issue in cataract is the lens, not the pupil's surface appearance.

Based on the analysis, the key event that happens when old aged people get cataract is the clouding and becoming milky of the crystalline lens.

To summarize the effect of cataract on the eye's components:

Therefore, the statement that correctly describes what happens when old aged people get cataract is that the crystalline lens becomes milky and cloudy.

Revision Table: Key Facts about Cataract

Additional Information on Cataract and Vision

Cataracts develop slowly and painlessly. Initially, the clouding might be small and not affect vision significantly. However, over time, as the cataract grows larger and denser, it can cause more noticeable symptoms. These symptoms can include:

• Blurry, hazy, or cloudy vision.
• Difficulty seeing at night.
• Sensitivity to light and glare.
• Seeing halos around lights.
• Fading or yellowing of colors.
• Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription.

Cataracts are a major cause of blindness worldwide, but they are treatable with surgery. Cataract surgery involves removing the cloudy natural lens and replacing it with a clear artificial lens.

While old age is a primary risk factor for cataracts, other factors can also contribute to their development, such as diabetes, smoking, prolonged exposure to sunlight, certain medications (like corticosteroids), and previous eye injury or surgery.