My word for today is cataract. Last week, I had my second cataract surgery and am now looking forward to being able to drive again.
I knew that cataract referred to the process of the clear lens of the eye becoming cloudy, with subsequent affect on the vision. What I didn’t know was that the origin of the word is the Latin cataracta meaning waterfall. It is believed that the cloudiness of the lens of the eye might represent the effect of a waterfall, the fast-moving water causing clouds.
Don’t know if you’re familiar with Robert Southey’s ‘The Cataract of Lodore’ (I think lots of people know this poem but don’t know the name of it). So, yes, I did know this but somehow hadn’t connected that it’s the same word as the eye cataract! But that would make sense in terms of it being misty and cloudy like the waterfall. Thanks for sharing, Liz, and wishing you a speedy recovery so that you can drive soon!
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Thank you for the introduction to the poem – I’d not heard of that one.
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I like understanding the underlying meaning of the word cataract. Hope you can drive soonBarbara
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🙏
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A very interesting piece of information. Thanks for sharing.
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Really interesting, Liz. Glad your op went well too!
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🙏🙏🙏
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