Cataracts are characterized by which sign?

Cataracts are characterized by which sign?

• A. Inflammation of a joint
• B. A slowly progressive decline in mental abilities
• C. Clouding of the lens
• D. A chronic allergic disorder

Answer: (C)

Cataracts cause clouding of the eye’s lens, which leads to blurred vision, glare, and faded colors. This lens opacity is the defining sign of cataracts, so describing a clouded lens directly matches the condition. Inflammation of a joint points to arthritis, a slowly progressive decline in mental abilities refers to dementia, and a chronic allergic disorder describes conditions like allergies; none of these involve the cloudy lens characteristic of cataracts. Understanding that the lens becomes opaque explains why vision becomes blurry and why the sign is the correct description.

Cataracts cause clouding of the eye’s lens, which leads to blurred vision, glare, and faded colors. This lens opacity is the defining sign of cataracts, so describing a clouded lens directly matches the condition. Inflammation of a joint points to arthritis, a slowly progressive decline in mental abilities refers to dementia, and a chronic allergic disorder describes conditions like allergies; none of these involve the cloudy lens characteristic of cataracts. Understanding that the lens becomes opaque explains why vision becomes blurry and why the sign is the correct description.