A curable condition that causes

A curable condition that causes blindness - Andrew Bastawrous

An estimated 20 million cases blindness worldwide are caused by cataracts, a curable condition affecting the lens that focuses images onto the eye’s retina.

全世界约有2000万失明病例是白内障所致，白内障是可治愈的，影响晶状体在视网膜上聚焦成像的症状。

estimated  [ˈestɪmeɪtɪd] 计算 估算

a calculation of the value, size, amount etc of something made using the information that you have, which may not be complete

blindness  [ˈblaɪndnəs] 致盲 失明的 

worldwide [ˌwɜːrldˈwaɪd] 遍及全世界地;世界各地地

everywhere in the world → globally

be caused by  [bi kɔːzd baɪ] 所致;由…引起

cataracts  [ˈkætəˌrækts] 白内障

a medical condition that causes the lens of your eye to become white, so that you slowly lose your sight

Curable  [ˈkjʊrəbl] 可医治的;可治愈的

an illness that is curable can be cured

Lens [lenz] (眼球的)晶状体

the clear part inside your eye that focuses so you can see things clearly

Focuses[ˈfoʊkəsɪz] (眼睛或镜头的)焦距，调焦

 if your eyes focus, or if you focus your eyes, you look at something and can see it clearly

Retina [ˈretɪnə] 视网膜

the area at the back of your eye that receives light and sends an image of what you see to your brain

————————

A cataract occurs when proteins in the lens lose their arrangement, clumping together in a way that causes discoloration or clouding, and enventually blocks most vision.

白内障出现是因晶状体中的蛋白质失去正常构造，聚在晶状体上导致它变色或者模糊不清，最终遮挡大部分视线。

Occurs[əˈkɜːrz] 发生；存在，出现

to happen or exist in a particular place or situation

clumping [ˈklʌmpɪŋ] 聚集成群;凝集成块 

if separate objects clump together, or are clumped together, they form a group or solid mass

clump together 丛生在一起

clouding  [ˈklaʊdɪŋ](镜子)模糊不清;(使)起雾 

a mass of dust, smoke etc in the air, or a large number of insects flying together

discoloration  [ˌdɪsˌkʌləˈreɪʃn](使)变色;(使)褪色 

a place on the surface of something where it has become discolored

blocks  [blɑːks] 挡住，遮住（视线）

————————

Cataracts can be caused by eye injury, certain medications, ultraviolet radiation, diabetes, smoking, or some genetic disorders.

白内障可能由于眼部损伤、特定药物、紫外线辐射、糖尿病、吸烟、或者一些遗传疾病导致。

certain medications  [ˈsɜːrtn ˌmɛdəˈkeɪʃənz] 特定药物

ultraviolet radiation [ˌʌltrəˈvaɪələt ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃn] 紫外线辐射

diabetes  [ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz]  糖尿病

genetic disorders [dʒəˈnetɪk dɪˈsɔrdərz] 遗传疾病;遗传病；基因缺陷

————————

But the most common cause is aging. In the United States, more than 50& of people over the age of 80 develop them.

Cataracts were treated over 2,500 years ago in  India, though similar procedures may have existed even earlier in Ancient Egypt and Babylon.

但是最常见的病因是年老。在美国，50%以上的80岁老人有白内障。印度在2500年前就开始治疗白内障，尽管类似的治疗手法可能更早之前就存在于古埃及和巴比伦。