A cataract is a painless clouding of the eye’s natural lens that is caused by a change in the lens protein structure. Cataract development is usually a normal process of aging. Night vision is usually affected in the early stage of cataracts, with patients reporting glare symptoms and requiring more light to read. Cataracts usually worsen gradually throughout life and almost all patients eventually choose to have cataract surgery.
Risk Factors for Cataracts
In addition to aging, other factors can increase the risk of developing more advanced cataracts at an earlier age:
- Diabetes
- Exposure to radiation
- Previous eye injury or surgery
- Prolonged use of corticosteroid medications
Symptoms of Cataracts
- Blurred, hazy or double vision in one eye
- Decreased color perception
- Sensitivity to bright light
- Poor night vision
- Perception of halos around lights
- Frequent changes in corrective-lens prescriptions
- Yellow-tinged vision
Cataract Surgery
Early cataracts can often be watched or managed with prescription glasses. Cataract surgery is an option once the cataracts becomes more advanced, and involves removing your natural clouded lens and replacing it with a clear artifiicial intraocular lens (IOL) that will last your lifetime. The decision as to when to consider surgery will be based on a conversation between you and your ophthalmologist. Generally speaking, it is reasonable to consider surgery once the cataracts begin to cause bothersome visual symptoms and interfere with your activities of daily liviing (reading ability, work, night driving or other, watching television, etc). If the cataracts are in both eyes, surgery is performed on one eye at a time, 1-3 weeks apart.