Cataract Awareness Month: Symptoms and Diagnosis

People who have cataracts have to deal with poor eyesight. Their vision is like looking through a fogged-up window. The condition affects more than half of Americans above 80 years. The only way to get rid of cataracts is through surgery, but there are precautions you can take to slow down their progression. You can also use the same measures to prevent the onset of cataracts.

Symptoms of Cataracts

In normal circumstances, light enters the eye and passes through the lens. It focuses on the retina, which sends a message to the brain through the optic nerve. It registers the image, allowing you to see clearly. When you have cataracts, it causes blurry vision. It makes it hard to drive at night, read a book, and see the expression on a friend’s face.

Here is a look at this and other symptoms of cataracts.

Blurry Vision

Cataracts cause your view to be foggy and cloudy. Your vision gets worse over time, and less light reaches the retina. It makes it hard to distinguish between people and things. You cannot drive or see people’s faces, creating the need for surgery.

Difficulty Distinguishing Colors

Cataracts can affect your perception of color. It causes a brownish or yellowish tinge on your natural lens. It causes some hues like purples and blues to become harder to distinguish than others. At first, you may not notice the discoloration, but it gradually becomes evident over time.

Sensitivity to Light

Sensitivity to light is an early symptom of cataracts. The glare of light causes trouble seeing when you are outdoors. Indoor lights may also seem to have halos or become too bright. The same symptom makes it hard to drive at night because of the glare of headlights and streetlights.

Second Sight

Sometimes, cataracts may act like stronger lenses and temporarily improve your sight. It allows you to distinguish things and people’s faces up close. When this happens, it may negate the need to wear reading glasses. However, as cataracts worsen, so does your vision.

Diplopia

Some cataracts can cause diplopia or double vision. However, this kind of diplopia is different from the one that develops from the misalignment of the eyes. With this, you may experience double vision even with one eye open.

Diagnosis

To diagnose cataracts, the doctor needs to perform a comprehensive eye exam. It includes a visual acuity test, a slit-lamp exam, and a retinal exam. These tests will help diagnose whether you have cataracts or not. The visual acuity or eye chart exam will confirm the sharpness of your vision. They will also examine your eyes with a slit-lamp microscope. They will use this to check the lens and other parts of the eye.

Finally, the doctor will dilate your pupils to get a better look at the back of your eye. They will check your retina and optic nerve for any abnormalities. However, you can take control of cataract diagnosis by getting regular eye exams. You will be able to get an early diagnosis if it develops and take measures to slow down its progression.

For more information on cataracts, contact Cobb Corner Eye Care at our office in Stoughton, Massachusetts. You can call us at (781) 344-3335 to schedule an appointment today.