What are Cataracts?​

Understanding Cataracts

A cataract is the clouding of the eye's natural lens, which sits behind the iris and pupil. As the lens becomes cloudy, it prevents light from passing clearly through the eye, causing vision to become blurred, dim, or hazy. Cataracts usually develop gradually over time and are one of the most common causes of vision loss, particularly in older adults.

Although cataracts are a normal part of the aging process, they can also develop as a result of eye injuries, certain medical conditions, medications, or prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. Fortunately, cataracts are highly treatable, and modern cataract surgery is one of the safest and most successful procedures performed today.

Routine comprehensive eye examinations allow us to detect cataracts early, monitor their progression, and determine when treatment may be beneficial.

What Causes Cataracts?

The natural lens of the eye is made primarily of water and proteins arranged in a precise way to keep the lens clear. As we age, these proteins begin to break down and clump together, causing cloudy areas to develop within the lens. Over time, the clouding becomes more significant and interferes with the passage of light, leading to blurry or distorted vision.

While aging is the most common cause of cataracts, other contributing factors include:

• Aging

• Diabetes

• Long-term use of corticosteroid medications

• Previous eye injury or surgery

• Excessive ultraviolet (UV) light exposure

• Smoking

• Family history of cataracts

• Certain medical conditions or inherited disorders

Types of Cataracts

Nuclear Cataracts

Nuclear cataracts develop in the center (nucleus) of the lens and are the most common age-related cataract. They often cause gradual distance vision blur and changes in color perception. Some people may notice temporary improvement in their near vision before the cataract continues to progress.

Cortical Cataracts

Cortical cataracts begin around the outer edge of the lens and gradually extend inward like spokes on a wheel. They commonly cause glare, halos around lights, and difficulty with contrast, especially while driving at night.

Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts

Posterior subcapsular cataracts form on the back surface of the lens. They often develop more quickly than other cataracts and can significantly affect reading vision, cause glare in bright light, and make nighttime driving difficult. They are more common in individuals with diabetes, those taking long-term steroid medications, or people with high myopia.

Congenital Cataracts

Congenital cataracts are present at birth or develop during early childhood. While some are small and do not affect vision, others may require early treatment to support normal visual development.

Signs & Symptoms

Cataracts typically develop slowly, and symptoms often worsen gradually over time.

Common symptoms include:

• Blurry or cloudy vision

• Difficulty seeing at night

• Increased sensitivity to bright lights and glare

• Halos around lights

• Colors appearing faded or yellowed

• Frequent changes in glasses or contact lens prescription

• Double vision in one eye

• Difficulty reading or performing detailed tasks

If cataracts begin interfering with your daily activities, it may be time to discuss treatment options.

Who Is at Risk?

Your risk of developing cataracts is higher if you:

• Are over the age of 60

• Have diabetes

• Smoke or have smoked in the past

• Spend significant time in the sun without UV-protective eyewear

• Use steroid medications long-term

• Have experienced an eye injury or previous eye surgery

• Have a family history of cataracts

• Have certain medical conditions that affect the eyes

Regular comprehensive eye examinations help detect cataracts early and monitor changes in your vision.

How We Detect Cataracts

A comprehensive eye examination allows us to evaluate the health of your lens and determine whether cataracts are affecting your vision. During your examination, we may perform:

• Visual Acuity Testing to measure how clearly you see at various distances.

• Refraction to determine whether an updated glasses prescription can improve your vision.

• Slit Lamp Examination to closely examine the lens and identify cataract formation.

• Dilated Eye Examination to evaluate the lens, retina, optic nerve, and overall eye health.

• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), when appropriate, to assess the health of the retina and macula before cataract surgery or if other retinal conditions are suspected.

These advanced diagnostic tests help us determine the severity of your cataracts and ensure your eyes are healthy before considering surgery.

Cataract Treatment

In the early stages, cataracts can often be managed with updated glasses, improved lighting, anti-reflective lenses, and other visual aids. However, as cataracts continue to progress, surgery is the only effective treatment to restore clear vision.

Cataract surgery involves removing the cloudy natural lens and replacing it with a clear artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The procedure is typically performed on an outpatient basis and usually takes less than 30 minutes per eye.

Depending on your visual needs, several types of intraocular lenses may be available, including:

• Standard monofocal lenses

• Toric lenses to correct astigmatism

• Multifocal or extended depth of focus (EDOF) lenses to reduce dependence on glasses

Our team will carefully monitor your cataracts over time and help determine the right time for surgery. If surgery becomes necessary, we'll discuss your lens options and coordinate your care with a trusted cataract surgeon to help you achieve the best possible visual outcome.