Many late-life diseases are conformational diseases in tissues where there are unfolded or misfolded proteins which can form aggregates. These diseases have other common features in their aetiology. Cataract is one such disease and post-translational modifications of proteins in the lens during cataract formation are described as a possible guide to the changes in other age-related conditions. Delineation of common pathways in these diseases could lead to common treatment regimes, and in this respect, there are promising results for aspirin-like drugs in Alzheimer's disease, cataract, myocardial infarction, stroke and various cancers.