Early detection and treatment are vital to maintaining good eye health. Regular eye check-ups can help catch cataracts early, ensuring timely care and preserving vision.
Just like a camera has a lens that helps the camera to focus, we, too have a lens inside each eye. As we age, or if the eye suffers trauma or disease, the lens can become cloudy which can cause the images we see to become discolored, foggy, blurry, and out of focus. When the lens changes due to these factors the result is called a cataract. A cataract can occur in either or both eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other. Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.
The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps to focus light, or an image, on the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. In a normal eye, light passes through the transparent lens to the retina. Once it reaches the retina, light is changed into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. The lens must be clear for the retina to receive a sharp image. If the lens is cloudy from a cataract, the image you see will be blurred.
The lens lies behind the iris and the pupil. It works much like a camera lens. It focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye, where an image is recorded. The lens also adjusts the eye’s focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away. The lens is made of mostly water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and lets light pass through it. But as we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens. This is a cataract. Over time, the cataract may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder to see. Researchers suspect that there are several causes of cataracts, such as smoking and diabetes. Or, it may be that the protein in the lens just changes from the wear and tear it takes over the years.
Age-related cataracts can affect your vision in two ways:
Clumps of protein reduce the sharpness of the image reaching the retina. The lens consists mostly of water and protein. When the protein clumps up, it clouds the lens and reduces the light that reaches the retina. The clouding may become severe enough to cause blurred vision. Most age-related cataracts develop from protein clumpings.
When a cataract is small, the cloudiness affects only a small part of the lens. You may not notice any changes in your vision. Cataracts tend to “grow” slowly, so vision gets worse gradually. Over time, the cloudy area in the lens may get larger, and the cataract may increase in size. Seeing may become more difficult. Your vision may get duller or blurrier.
The clear lens slowly changes to a yellowish/brownish color, adding a brownish tint to the vision. As the clear lens slowly colors with age, your vision gradually may acquire a brownish shade. At first, the amount of tinting may be small and may not cause a vision problem. Over time, increased tinting may make it more difficult to read and perform other routine activities. This gradual change in the amount of tinting does not affect the sharpness of the image transmitted to the retina.If you have advanced lens discoloration, you may not be able to identify blues and purples. You may be wearing what you believe to be a pair of black socks, only to find out from friends that you are wearing purple socks.
The term “age-related” is a little misleading. You don’t have to be a senior citizen to get this type of cataract. In fact, people can have an age-related cataract in their 40s and 50s. But during middle age, most cataracts are small and do not affect vision. It is after age 60 that most cataracts cause problems with a person’s vision.
The risk of cataracts increases as you get older. Other risk factors for cataracts include:
• Certain diseases (for example, diabetes).
• Personal behavior (smoking, alcohol use.
• The environment (prolonged exposure to ultraviolet sunlight).
The most common symptoms of a cataract are:
• Cloudy or blurry vision.
• The colors seem faded.
• Poor night vision.
• Frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses.
• Double vision or multiple images in one eye. (This symptom may clear as the cataract gets larger.)
• Glare. Headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright. A halo may appear around lights.
These symptoms also can be a sign of other eye problems. If you have any of these symptoms, check with your eye care professional.
Yes, although most cataracts are related to aging, there are other types of cataracts:
Cataracts can form after surgery for other eye problems, such as glaucoma. Cataracts also can develop in people who have other health problems, such as diabetes. Cataracts are sometimes linked to steroid use.
Cataracts can develop after an eye injury, sometimes years later.
Some babies are born with cataracts or develop them in childhood, often in both eyes. These cataracts may be so small that they do not affect vision. If they do, the lenses may need to be removed.
Cataracts can develop after exposure to some types of radiation.
Cataract is detected through a comprehensive eye exam that includes:
This eye chart test measures how well you see at various distances.
Drops are placed in your eyes to widen or dilate the pupils. Your eye care professional uses a special magnifying lens to examine your retina and optic nerve for signs of damage and other eye problems. After the exam, your close-up vision may remain blurred for several hours.
An instrument measures the pressure inside the eye. Numbing drops may be applied to your eye for this test.
Your eye care professional also may do other tests to learn more about the structure and health of your eye.
Cataract removal is elective surgery. It is your choice when to undergo the procedure. Most people need surgery when their cataract causes enough vision loss to interfere with work, play, or other day-to-day tasks. Cataract surgery is delicate surgery, however, it is generally an easy procedure for patients and the majority of cataract surgeries are performed without complications.
From routine exams to advanced treatments, we’re committed to safeguarding your vision.
Proudly serving the San Diego community for over 30 years, we offer comprehensive eye care with the latest advanced technology and the expertise of our dedicated doctors.
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