ABSTRACT
Cataract. is.a.clouding.of.the.lens.of.the.eye.that. leads.to.visual. impairment.and,. in.some.cases,. blindness..It.is.an.important.public.health.problem.with.a.number.of.contributing.factors,.although. the.large.majority.of.cataracts.are.believed.to.be.due.to.increasing.age..Approximately.20.5.million. Americans.aged.40.years.and.older.show.some.evidence.of.age-related.cataract. [1-3]..Cataracts. severe.enough.to.impair.vision.are.estimated.to.affect.5%.of.persons.aged.65.years.and.about.50%. of.persons.aged.75.years.and.older.[2,4]..Of.added.concern,.the.prevalence.of.cataract.is.expected.to. increase.by.50%.as.the.number.of.elderly.persons.in.the.United.States.increases.over.the.next.two. decades..Although.treatment.for.cataract.is.readily.available.in.the.form.of.cataract.surgery,.this. procedure.accounts.for.a.large.portion.of.Medicare.expenditures.[5].
