A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.

Age-related cataracts can happen as early as your 40s and 50s. However, most of these cataracts are small and do not affect vision.