Problems Caused by Cataracts

Cataracts are the clouding of the lens of the eye. The lens is made of water and protein, and as we age protein begins to clump together and cloud an area of the lens. This area becomes larger, affecting vision. Vision may appear cloudy or foggy, making it harder to read or drive. Cataracts normally do not cause pain.

Risk Factors

• Cataracts typically occur later in life at approximately 65 years of age. Other risk factors that may increase risk include smoking, extensive exposure to sunlight, exposure to radiation, eye inflammation or injury, being diabetic and a family history of cataracts.

Problems

• Cataracts will cause cloudy blurry vision, sensitivity to light and glare, difficulty seeing at night and an image of halos around lights. Other difficulties may include frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions, a yellowing of colors and double vision in one eye.

Warnings

• Cataracts may cause night driving to be dangerous because of sensitivity to the glare of oncoming headlights. Blurry vision from cataracts may cause falls or accidents in the home, at work or out shopping. A completely white cataract, called a hypermature or overripe cataract, may cause inflammation, pain and headache.

Considerations

• There are changes you can make to deal with symptoms of cataracts before surgery. Install brighter lighting to see better in the home by increasing bulb wattage to 150 watts. Use a magnifying glass to read with and wear dark UVB sunglasses when out in sunlight. Limit driving at night or find someone to drive you.

Treatment

• Surgery is the most effective treatment for cataracts and is successful 95 percent of the time, according to the Mayo Clinic. Surgery is normally done when vision loss is impacting quality of life. The cloudy lens is replaced with an artificial lens. One eye will be done at a time if both eyes are affected. Surgeries are generally between four to eight weeks apart. Recovery is normally quick, and you should be able to resume normal activities within a few days.

Prevention/Solution

• Wear sunglasses with UVB protection as ultraviolet light can increase your risk of cataracts. Medical conditions such as diabetes can raise your risk of eye damage or cataracts so be sure to follow treatment guidelines for chronic diseases. Avoid smoking as it produces free radicals that heighten your risk of developing cataracts.