July 2025 Newsletter: Cataracts

What You Should Know About Cataracts

It often starts gradually. Your vision isn’t as sharp as it used to be, lights seem too bright, and colors don’t pop the way they once did. These changes are easy to brush off as signs of aging. But for many, they’re actually the early signs of cataracts, a condition that affects the clarity of the eye’s lens.

Cataracts are incredibly common. In fact, they’re the leading cause of vision loss worldwide, especially in older adults. The good news is that they’re also very treatable, often with excellent results.

What Are Cataracts?

Inside your eye, there’s a clear lens that focuses light on the retina, allowing you to see sharply. A cataract forms when that lens becomes cloudy. Instead of light passing through freely, it scatters, making things look hazy or dim. Most cataracts develop slowly over time, which is why people may not notice the change right away. They typically affect both eyes, though not always at the same rate.

Who Gets Cataracts?

Cataracts can affect anyone, but they’re most common as people get older. By age 80, more than half of Americans have either had cataract surgery or are living with cataracts.

Several factors can increase your risk:

• Age (60<)

• Diabetes

• Smoking or heavy alcohol use

• Prolonged exposure to sunlight without eye protection

• Previous eye injury or surgery

• Long-term use of steroid medications

• Family history of cataracts

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Symptoms

Since cataracts form slowly, the symptoms might be subtle at first. Over time, you may notice:

• Cloudy or blurred vision

• Increased sensitivity to glare, especially when driving at night

• Colors looking faded or yellowed

• Needing brighter light to read

• Double vision in one eye

• Frequent changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions

Because cataracts don’t cause pain or redness, they can go unnoticed until vision is significantly affected.

How Are Cataracts Diagnosed?

A routine comprehensive eye exam can easily detect cataracts. During the visit, your doctor will:

• Check your vision using standard eye charts

• Use a slit-lamp to examine your lens for cloudiness

• Look at the back of the eye to rule out other conditions

• Measure eye pressure, especially if surgery is being considered

It’s a painless process and usually doesn’t take very long.

What Can Be Done About Them?

In the early stages, updating your glasses prescription and using better lighting may help. But as cataracts progress, surgery becomes the most effective option.

Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most common procedures performed today. The cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial one. Most people recover quickly and notice a major improvement in their vision within just a few days. There are also advanced lens options available that can reduce your need for glasses afterward.

How to Reduce Your Risk

You may not be able to prevent cataracts entirely, but you can take steps to lower your risk and slow their development:

• Wear sunglasses that protect against UV rays

• Stop smoking

• Keep diabetes and blood pressure under control

• Eat a healthy diet with plenty of leafy greens and fruits

• Limit how much alcohol you drink

• Schedule regular eye exams, especially after age 40

Cataracts are a normal part of aging for many people, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with poor vision. Thanks to safe and effective treatments, most people with cataracts can regain clear, sharp sight and return to daily activities with ease.

If things have started looking cloudy or colors seem faded, don’t ignore it. Book an eye exam and take the first step toward seeing more clearly again.