Cataracts are the most common age-related eye condition among older adults. Because cataracts are so prevalent, it is important to be familiar with their symptoms so you can know when it’s time to see your Indianapolis eye doctor.
Keep reading to learn more about ten of the most common cataract symptoms that shouldn’t be ignored.
What Are Cataracts?
Cataracts occur when protein fibers within the naturally clear lens of the eye begin to break down, clump together, and become cloudy. As these clumps build up, they cover the opacities that affect more of the lens and prevent light from entering the eye and reaching the retina.
Typically, cataracts develop slowly, and it can take many years for symptoms to seriously impair vision. In its earliest stages, the symptoms of cataracts may be unnoticeable, and many people are unaware they are developing the condition until it is diagnosed during a routine eye exam.
If left untreated, cataracts can cause total vision loss. It is the leading cause of blindness worldwide, especially in countries with limited access to healthcare. This is completely avoidable with appropriate and timely care.
10 Common Cataract Symptoms
Early diagnosis and treatment are key to preventing vision impairment from cataracts. Here are ten of the most common cataract symptoms:
1. Cloudy Vision
Many people say that vision clouded by cataracts makes them feel as though they are constantly looking through a frosted or fogged-up window.
2. Blurry Vision
Often, the first sign of cataracts is blurry vision. Blurry vision is another sign that may indicate the development of cataracts. You may notice that both your near and distance vision is blurry, even when you are wearing glasses or other corrective eyewear.
3. Increased Sensitivity to Bright Lights and Glare
Developing cataracts can increase your sensitivity to both bright light and glare. Things like headlights from oncoming cars, bright sunlight, and light reflected off the surface of water can start to affect your ability to see clearly and comfortably.
4. Difficulty Seeing in Low Light
Cataracts can also make it difficult to see in low-light environments, like restaurants with dim lighting, or while driving at night. You may find that you need brighter sources of light to read, while night driving can become hazardous.
5. Faded or Dulled Color Perception
Colors that appear less vivid or vibrant are a further sign of cataracts. It can be challenging to see the difference between the hues of a single color or between similar colors, such as navy blue and black.
6. Halos
You might notice halos around sources of light, especially at night. Halos can cause your vision to feel distorted and hazy.
7. Double Vision in One Eye
If you are experiencing double vision in one eye, a condition known as monocular diplopia, it could be a sign of cataracts. While cataracts generally impact both eyes, they can develop at different rates and show initial signs in just one of your eyes.
8. Frequent Changes in Vision Prescription
While occasional changes to your eye prescription are normal, cataracts can cause more frequent changes to your vision prescription. This can be a sign of cataract progression.
9. Difficulty Reading Small Print
Difficulty reading small print can be an early sign of cataracts. While this symptom is also the main sign of presbyopia (age-related farsightedness), it can also indicate cataracts, particularly when accompanied by other signs.
10. Milky White or Yellow Pupils
Changes to the color of your pupils are usually a symptom of more advanced cataracts, but can be an early sign that you have rapidly developing cataracts. Vision impaired by milky white or yellow pupils is the leading cause of blindness due to cataracts.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore the Symptoms of Cataracts
Even mild cataract symptoms can interfere with your day-to-day activities, such as driving a car, reading, and working on a computer. Ignoring the changes to your vision, these symptoms may increase your risk of accidents and reduce your overall quality of life.
If you start to experience any of the symptoms of cataracts listed above, you should schedule a comprehensive eye exam with your eye doctor. The tests performed at an exam can help your eye care provider accurately diagnose the condition and rule out other, more serious conditions, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, which have similar symptoms but can cause irreversible vision loss.
How Are Cataracts Treated?
In their earliest stages, cataracts may require no treatment. If they are just starting to develop and are not causing issues with your vision, your eye doctor may recommend watchful monitoring.
As cataracts progress, adjustments to your vision prescription and small lifestyle changes, such as adding lighting to your home and avoiding driving at night, can help you cope with the symptoms of the condition. Ultimately, the only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery. Cataract surgery is a safe and effective procedure that restores clear vision and prevents cataracts from ever reforming.
During cataract surgery, the cloudy lens of the eye is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). Depending on your choice of IOL, cataract surgery can be an opportunity to correct vision at multiple distances and lessen or eliminate your reliance on corrective eyewear.
Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed procedures in the US. It is a quick procedure with short recovery times.
Many cataract surgery patients report clearer vision within days of their surgery, with continued improvement during the following weeks.
The common symptoms of cataracts should not be ignored, even if they are not currently causing serious impairment to your vision. Recognizing cataract symptoms early can help ensure you maintain clear vision for a lifetime.
Are you experiencing symptoms of cataracts? Schedule a cataract evaluation at Whitson Vision in Indianapolis or Avon, IN, today!