Are you starting to experience foggy or blurred vision? Is it challenging to see or do detail-oriented tasks?
These are a few of the signs that you might have cataracts. It is possible to have cataracts and not get surgery.
Most patients do end up needing surgery. Keep reading to find out more about cataracts and some of the most common signs of having them!
What is a Cataract?
Cataracts occur when the lens in the eye becomes cloudy. A healthy lens without cataracts is clear.
When you develop cataracts, people describe it as looking through a frosty window. People with cataracts find it difficult to read or drive at night because of cloudy vision.
As we age, more and more of our peers will get diagnosed with cataracts.
Vision Changes
Usually, cataracts develop slowly and do not impact your vision early on. As your cataracts develop, they will start to make your vision worse.
Getting regular eye exams is the best way to diagnose and watch cataracts. Other vision changes that are common are cloudy, blurry, or dull vision.
Early on, your cataracts are small. Over time they will get bigger as they mature.
Some patients experience light sensitivity, halos, glare around lights, and needing more light for activities. By looking directly at a light, you could see light radiating out of it like a halo.
Patients with cataracts also may experience double vision in one eye.
Color Discoloration
Colors start to become faded and discolored as your cataracts develop. For example, what you once saw as white now looks more like yellow.
Difficulty Driving At Night
Cataracts make it challenging to tell the difference between light and dark. Some patients with cataracts say that they see halos around lights at night.
They may also experience headaches from looking at headlights and streetlamps. If it becomes more difficult to drive at night, you should stop.
Requiring Multiples Changes in Prescriptions
Your vision will change as your cataracts develop. You could need reading glasses and get several prescriptions within months.
Significant vision changes within a short amount of time are a symptom of cataracts.
Requiring Stronger Light
To see clearly, you might need more light while you are trying to complete a task that needs a lot of focus. These could include reading, sewing, or looking at your friends’ facial expressions.
In the beginning stages of your cataracts, having more light might be helpful. As your cataracts develop, this will not be a solution anymore.
Cataract Prevention
At this point, there’s no way to prevent ever developing cataracts. There are, however, things you can do to reduce developing them early on.
These recommendations include wearing sunglasses, quitting smoking, and being healthy. This includes eating well, managing existing health conditions, not drinking a lot of alcohol, and exercising.
You should also get regular eye exams.
Deciding to get cataract surgery is a big deal. Having cataracts doesn’t always mean you need cataract surgery right away.
The best time to have surgery is if your cataracts are impacting your daily life. You deserve to live the life you want.
Do any of these symptoms sound familiar? If so, then you might have a cataract. Schedule a cataract screening at Loden Vision Centers in Nashville, TN!
