cataract Hear it!

cataract Definition

cata·ract (kat′ə rakt′)

noun

  1. a large waterfall
  2. any strong flood or rush of water; deluge
    1. an eye disease in which the crystalline lens or its capsule becomes opaque, causing partial or total blindness
    2. the opaque area

Etymology: ME cataracte, floodgate (of heaven), cataract (of the eye) < L cataracta, a waterfall, portcullis < Gr katarhaktēs < katarhassein, to dash down < kata-, down + rhassein, to strike or ? arassein, to smite

cataract Synonyms

cataract

n.

waterfall, rapids, torrent, deluge; see flood 1, water 2, waterfall.

cataract Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • remove: Every year, around 120,000 people in the UK have surgery to remove cataracts - around 4,000 of them in the Eastern region.
  • treat: There are no drops or tablets that will treat cataracts.
  • develop: Cats tend to develop cataracts at an older age than dogs.
  • prevent: Doctor, is it right that taking an aspirin a day prevents cataracts?

Preposition: in

eye: A small girl, aged about 5, had cataracts in both eyes.

Adjective modifier

  • congenital: Hospital based data showed that congenital cataract of familial origin is common in Cambodia.
  • operable: With the help of these children, I found five blind people, three with operable cataracts.
  • infantile: However, infantile cataracts are often inherited and often these children have slightly smaller eyes than usual.
  • senile: Senile cataracts almost always occur in both eyes simultaneously.
  • age-related: The most common type of cataracts is age-related cataract.
  • unilateral: Visual outcome can still vary markedly however, particularly in the child with unilateral cataract.

Modifies a noun

  • surgery: Study The usual waiting time for second cataract surgery in Bristol was seven to 12 months.
  • blindness: Rapid assessment of cataract blindness in an urban district of Gujarat.
  • extraction: Mr T was put on the waiting list for a left cataract extraction.
  • surgeon: We need to double the number of cataract surgeons.
  • removal: Did the Romans really carry out cosmetic surgery and cataract removals?
  • operation: In 2004 he had a cataract operation - the only time he was known to visit a hospital.

Noun used with modifier

  • phacoemulsification: Cataract surgery This factsheet is for adults who are considering phacoemulsification cataract surgery.
  • incision: The nucleus division technique for small incision cataract extraction.
  • childhood: Childhood cataract may be inherited or may be caused by injury or illness.