Cataracts are cloudy patches on the eye’s lens that can occur either in one or both of your eyes. Usually, this condition is harmless and causes no pain but, in some cases, it can lead to vision loss. You may be wondering what do these clouded eye lenses have to do with spirituality? Today, we will look into the Spiritual meaning of cataracts, spiritual meaning of eye problems and the spiritual meaning of eye problems.

Cataracts are a type of eye disease that can cause vision problems. They occur when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, causing blurred vision and loss of color perception. Cataracts are more common in older adults, but they can also be caused by injury or disease.

Cataracts have been associated with spiritual meaning throughout history. In Hinduism and Buddhism, the cataract is considered to be a symbolic cleansing of the eyes and heart that leads to enlightenment. In Christianity, cataracts represent sin as well as spiritual blindness due to sin—and their removal is often seen as an indication of redemption from sin through faith in Jesus Christ.

Our eyes are truly the windows to our soul. They show our life experiences, our health and most importantly, the radiance of our love for life. There is no doubt that cataracts are one of the leading cause of blindness in the developed world and a leading cause of poor vision in the developing world. Millions of people have cataracts, and millions more have poor vision that can be improved if only there was an affordable solution to cataract surgery.

For decades, cataract surgery had been a complicated and expensive procedure. In fact, it was usually done in hospitals rather than ambulatory surgical centers or doctors’ offices. This meant that patients had to spend 3-7 days in a hospital after the procedure. During this recovery period, they suffered from various side effects such as blurred vision and discomfort. The use of laser technology has changed all this. The discovery came about when two British scientists were studying how lasers could correct vision problems related to cornea disease and refractive errors (myopia/hypermetropia). The technology allows surgeons to reduce or eliminate cloudy or foggy lenses through laser-assisted new technology that reshapes the original lens by removing part of it.

spiritual meaning of eye problems

Cataracts are a common eye condition that causes vision problems by clouding the lens of the eye. They can be removed through surgery or replaced with an artificial lens, but there is also a spiritual meaning behind cataracts.

People who are spiritually connected to their cataracts may feel that they are a reminder to slow down and take time to reflect. Cataracts can make it difficult for you to see clearly and therefore make it more difficult for you to focus on what’s going on around you. This can lead to feeling overwhelmed by everything going on in your life and not knowing how to handle it all.

It’s important when dealing with cataracts that you take time every day to meditate or pray. Taking time out of your busy schedule to focus on something other than what’s going on around you will help clear your mind and allow you to focus more clearly on what matters most in life: being present in each moment with yourself and others.

Cataracts are a condition that affects the eyes where the lens of the eye becomes cloudy and blocks light from passing through. This causes vision to become blurry or foggy, and can lead to blindness if left untreated.

In religious and spiritual traditions, cataracts are often associated with spiritual clarity, insight, and perception. Cataracts can be seen as meaning that you’re in danger of losing your ability to see clearly—or that you’ve already lost it. It’s important to remember that this is only one possible interpretation; cataracts aren’t always tied to spirituality or clarity in every tradition!

If you are struggling with cataracts in your life, there are a few things you can do to try to help yourself:

• Practice meditation or yoga regularly. These practices will help calm your mind and focus your attention on what’s happening inside of you instead of outside of yourself.
• Take time each day for quiet contemplation. This time should be spent without distraction from technology like phones or computers so that you can focus on being present in the moment without distraction from other things going on around you at home or work!

spiritual meaning of cataracts

According to my ophthalmologist, a cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of your eye. It is a very common condition, afflicting more than 3 million cases annually in the United States.  People who have cataracts experience cloudy vision that is a bit like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. This clouded vision makes it more difficult to read, drive a car (especially at night) or see the expression on a friend’s face.  Most cataracts develop slowly and don’t disturb your eyesight in their initial stages of growth. But with time, cataracts eventually interfere with our vision.

My ophthalmologist’s description of cataracts was received at a time when my Sunday Bible Class was studying Numbers and Deuteronomy.  As I read of the reaction of the Children of Israel to God’s provision for them, I was able to apply my knowledge of physical cataracts to their development of spiritual cataracts which clouded their vision for all that God had done for them.

First Corinthians 10 summarizes the development of the spiritual cataracts and serves as a warning to me that just as cataract growth is gradual, if I am not continually monitoring my spiritual vision I can gradually acquire a condition that results in the need for my heavenly Father to perform spiritual cataract surgery to correct it.  Consider the gradual clouding of the ancient Hebrews eyes: 

• Initially, they craved evil things (10:6).
• idolatry was then embraced  (10:7).
• immorality became a common, acceptable habit (10:8).
• God’s goodness transitioned to entitlement (10:9).
• a cynical and negative attitude embodied their lifestyle (10:10).

While being the recipients of God’s best blessings, they became cool, distant, and indifferent.  Just as with the growth of physical cataracts, their spiritual cataracts did not appear suddenly, but, gradually, their 20/20 spiritual vision became clouded. 

If you could schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist specializing in spiritual vision, what type of treatment do you think the doctor might suggest should the diagnosis be spiritual cataracts? The good news is that Christians are blessed with the treatment prescribed by the Great Physician found in the ultimate medical textbook, the Bible, and the condition is 100% curable.  This treatment includes:

• cultivating a hunger and thirst for God (Ps. 42:1-2a).
• embracing an attitude of submission to God’s will and ways (James 4:7).
• consistently evaluating their spiritual condition (1 Cor. 11:31-32). 
• purposing to make spiritual principles a priority in their lives (Matt. 6:33).
• refusing to slump into a monotonous devotion routine (Matt. 5:6). 
• focusing on joy of the Lord being their strength (Neh. 8:10b).
• rejecting the 21st century attitude of presumption or spiritual entitlement (Num. 15:30; Ps. 19:13).

Kelsey’s Korner explores this epidemic of spiritual entitlement and suggests a biblical cure for it.

KELSEY’S KORNER

Have you seen the movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”? I have to admit, as a child that movie, in all its strangeness, terrified me! One by one all of the “rotten” children who grew up in privileged, spoiled lives were led to their demise by their own greed and sense of entitlement. Only Charlie, the poor, humble boy that saw his success as an undeserved blessing, prevailed.

As young millennials and Gen Z’rs of America, we have never experienced true poverty. Our conception of poverty is living in government housing and receiving free lunches at school as a student….maybe even needing help from the Salvation Army, God forbid. On top of that, American poverty doesn’t typically last—with the support of our thriving economy, philanthropic agencies, help from the government, and hard work, before too long, out-of-luck Americans are often able to climb back to a comfortable standard of living. Compared to many other parts of the world, American poverty is privileged.

Yet, similar to the rotten children of Willy Wonka, growing up without ever truly being in need can create delusional standards of entitlement. We deserve free college. We need 6 months of paid maternity leave. We demand free healthcare! And when the government or companies can’t follow through with our demands, we “throw a fit,” feeling cheated and sorry for ourselves. 

Although this epidemic of entitlement is alarming, what concerns me more is how this infectious mentality is affecting our personal and corporate walks with God. Like a miniature devil on the shoulder, entitlement constantly whispers lies into our ears, tricking us into believing we deserve or need certain things. Before long, the God of the universe, to whom we were created to serve, becomes reduced to a magic genie in the sky—a cosmic daddy eagerly waiting to give us happiness and riches. If God doesn’t answer our prayers for health, safety, success, happiness…, if He doesn’t “speak to us” when we ask or show us a sign that He’s there, than we accuse him of not loving us or even existing at all. We accuse Him of not listening, not understanding, and not having time for us, so we decide we don’t have time for Him. Instead, we fix our gaze on the fleeting pleasures of earth.

So, what is the cure for spiritual entitlement, and how can we tell if our thinking is affected by it? Just as Charlie’s accurate view of himself and what he deserved led to his success, I believe an accurate assessment of ourselves and what we truly deserve will free us from any misconception of supposed entitlement.

Who we are—before we were saved, we were enemies of God (James 4:4), overcome by sin and rebellion (Col. 1:21), tiny here-today-gone-tomorrow blimps in eternity (Is. 40:7-8). And who is God? He is everything we could never be! A perfect, sinless, omniscient, three in one God who stands outside of time (Deut. 32:4, Rom. 11:33, Col. 1:17, Jer. 23:23-24). Full of grace and love, though we were God’s enemies, through Jesus He made a way for us to be His sons and daughters, sharing in the reward of Christ our King (Rom. 5:6-10)! So undeserved is our status that that in heaven we will cast our crowns before Him, joining in the ceaseless songs of the angels (Rev. 4:10-11).

What we deserve—we have sinned against the only perfect one—the creator of ALL. We deserve nothing more than eternal separation and divine punishment for our offense (Rom. 6:23). BUT God, rich in mercy, has given us eternal life with Him through Christ (Eph. 2:4-9). This is unspeakable grace!

Though we deserve death for our sins against the Holy One, Christ gives eternal life to all those who are covered by the blood of the lamb. This is our unmerited prize, and when we truly trust in and dwell on these truths, prayers of gratitude quickly drown out the tempting whispers of entitlement.

spiritual meaning of eye problems

It’s not unusual for people to associate cataracts with old age. But there are several spiritual meanings of cataracts that you might not have heard about.

According to [reference], “a cataract takes its form from the eye and is a clouding of the lens that causes blurred vision, glare and halos around lights.” It can also result in color blindness and double vision.

But it’s not just old people who get cataracts—people of all ages can develop them, from infants to young adults. Even if you’re healthy, your risk of developing catars increases with age.

Some people believe that cataracts are a result of sin or an evil spirit entering the body—a belief that comes from a time when many people felt there was no connection between physical illness and mental illness or trauma. Today, though, we know that these things do have an impact on the body—and when they do, they often show up as physical symptoms like cataracts.

THE EVERYDAY HOMEMAKER’S MONTHLY MEDITATION THOUGHT

God’s Word states, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:1-2)

Therefore, I may boldly say, “the permanent correction for spiritual cataracts is to keep my eyes focused on Jesus.”

Blessings on your day as you focus on making your house a home!