Cataracts: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Cataracts are clouding of the lens, the clear structure inside the eye that focuses light onto the retina. As the lens becomes opaque, vision becomes blurred, dimmed, and progressively impaired. Cataracts develop slowly over years and are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, though they are highly treatable through surgery. Most people develop cataracts eventually if they live long enough.

The lens is composed primarily of proteins and water. Damage to proteins causes clouding.

Main causes:

• Age (age-related cataracts most common)
• Ultraviolet (UV) light exposure
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Eye trauma
• Certain medications (corticosteroids)
• Congenital conditions
• Radiation exposure
• Inflammation

Risk increases with age, particularly after 60 years.

Early symptoms include:

• Blurred vision
• Dimmed vision
• Difficulty with night vision
• Glare sensitivity
• Fading colors
• Double vision (monocular)

As cataracts progress, symptoms worsen gradually, potentially leading to functional blindness if untreated.

Diagnosis involves:

• Visual acuity testing
• Slit-lamp examination
• Tonometry
• Dilated eye examination
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT)

Conservative management:

• Stronger eyeglass prescription
• Increased lighting
• Anti-glare sunglasses
• Mydriatic drops (pupil dilation)

Surgical treatment (when symptoms significantly impact function):

• Phacoemulsification (most common)
• Extracapsular extraction
• Manual small-incision surgery
• Intraocular lens (IOL) implantation

Cataract development cannot be completely prevented, but risk reduction includes:

• UV light protection (sunglasses, hats)
• Smoking cessation
• Healthy diet rich in antioxidants
• Diabetes control
• Reduction of corticosteroid use when possible
• Eye injury prevention

See an ophthalmologist if vision becomes blurred, dimmed, or impaired. Regular eye exams are important for early detection. Discuss surgical options when cataracts begin impacting daily activities and quality of life.