A cataract is an eye disease in which the clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy or opaque, causing a decrease in vision. Although the word cataract to describe this condition has been part of the English language only since the middle of the 16th century, the eye disease has been recognized and surgically treated since ancient times. Symptoms of senile cataract in TCM include as follows:

1. Syndrome of Deficiency of Liver and Kidney Yin  
Main Symptoms and Signs: Opacity of lens, dim eyesight, dizziness and tinnitus, lassitude in loin and legs; a pale tongue and thready pulse; or cold limbs with aversion to cold, clear and profuse urine and heavy thready pulse.

2. Syndrome of Spleen Asthenia and Qi Deficiency
Main Symptoms and Signs: Opacity of lens, dimvision, listlessness, poor appetite, mental tiredness, sallow complexion and hypodynamic limbs; pale tongue with thin coating and thready weak pulse.

3. Syndrome of Ocular Invasion by Liver Heat
Main Symptoms and Signs: Opacity of lens, dim eyesight, headache, dryness of eye, bitter taste in the mouth and dry throat; thin yellowish tongue coating and thready rapid pulse.

4. Syndrome of Yin Deficiency with Damp-heat
Main Symptoms and Signs: Opacity of lens, dimvision, dryness sensation in the eye, ozostomia, and dyschesia, reddish tongue with greasy coating in the root part and thready or thready rapid pulse.