A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of your eye. For people who have cataracts, seeing through cloudy lenses is a bit like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. Clouded vision caused by cataracts can make 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 early on. As the cataract grows larger, it clouds more of your lens and distorts the light passing through the lens. This may lead to more noticeable symptoms.
Symptoms:
You see glare or halos around lights, especially at night.
You are having increasing difficulty seeing at night when you drive.
You can no longer see well enough to read or watch TV.
Colors appear faded and/or you have noticed blurry vision.
Good Candidates for Cataract Surgery
Good candidates for cataract surgery include individuals who have been told via a routine eye examination that they have cataracts and are experiencing significant vision loss due to the clouding of the lens of the eye. Most people do not start developing cataracts until after the age of 40, but cataracts can develop at any age. Some babies are even born with cataracts.
Treating Early Cataracts
Talk with your eye doctor about whether surgery is right for you. Most eye doctors suggest considering cataract surgery when your cataracts begin to affect your quality of life or interfere with your ability to perform normal daily activities, such as reading or driving at night. If your vision isn’t significantly impaired, it may be a good idea to wait for cataract removal surgery. During this time glasses and/or contacts can help improve your vision. It may also be beneficial to improve the lighting in your home with more or brighter lamps. Many studies show that UV light can also increase the risk of cataract and other eye conditions, therefore a good pair of 100% UV protective sunglasses is highly recommended. To schedule an appointment to see if cataract surgery would be right for you, call or text us at 510-791-5272
