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Last update
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1 / 2010 |
What is Cataract ?
by Kenneth P. Mitton, PhD
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Eye
Research
Network
What is Cataract ? by Kenneth P. Mitton, PhD |
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Research Journals |
| Did you know that the lens of your eye contains crystallin
proteins at very high density, and that the lens fiber cells at the center
of your lenses are cells that were created when you were still in the womb!
The crystallins in those cells are proteins that were made when you were
a fetus, and they remain there your entire life!These proteins must
survive the chemical and environmental effects of aging to perform properly
and maintain a clear lens all this time. Of course there is an upper limit
to how long this clarity may last, which is one reason aging and cataract
risk go hand in hand.
While most cataracts (clouding of the lens of the eye) are part of the aging process in humans, there are also cataracts that occur in some families due to mutations in the genes for various structural proteins in the human lens, including the crystallin genes. Many juvenile cataracts are inherited forms of this kind. (Educators may request the use of my illustrations below by emailing to mitton@oakland.edu)I Recommend the NEI's
Health and Disease Information Page
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