Cataracts are not contagious nor are they a film that grows over the eye. Normally, the light enters the eye through the cornea and is focussed on the retina by the lens. The retina sends the picture to the brain via the optic nerve. When a cataract is present, the lens becomes cloudy and light cannot pass through, resulting in a blurred image on the retina. Treatment Cataracts cannot be treated by drops, medication or exercises.
Surgery is the only effective treatment once the cataract is sufficiently advanced.
Surgery, however, may not always be appropriate. Your eye specialist will advise you when and if surgery is right for you. In cataract surgery, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a small plastic lens. This is called an intra-ocular lens implant. If the eye is healthy, the success rate of the operation is very high.