A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, the clear part of the eye that helps focus light on the retina, and is most often a result of aging. Cataracts usually develop slowly and may go unnoticed until perceptible vision impairment occurs. Cataracts can eventually make daily activities like reading or driving (especially at night) difficult or impossible. Looking through a cataract can be like looking through a foggy window or a piece of wax paper.
As we age, the proteins in the crystalline lens of the eye will clump together eventually causing the lens to become hard and cloudy. This is known as a cataract and is what makes the patient’s vision hazy and blurry. A cataract can affect your entire field of vision and make day-to-day functions such as reading and driving difficult or even impossible. The only way to improve ad restore your vision is to remove the cataract with our highly skilled surgeons here at Wellish Vision Institute. Cataract surgery is now recommended when the cataract begins to interfere with your vision and before it begins making daily tasks difficult or affecting your quality of life. In the past, you had to wait until the cataract “ripe” until action was taken but due to changes in technology you can make an appointment for a consultation as soon as you notice the following symptoms.
Symptoms of cataracts include:
- A loss of color, detail or sharpness to your vision
- Blurred, Cloudy or dim vision
- Difficulty with night vision, especially while driving
- Sensitivity to bright lights
- Glare or halos around lights
- Colors aren’t as bright
- Double vision
Cataracts can be scary or unnerving, but they are in fact a fairly natural part of visual changes. Many ophthalmologists believe that they are caused in part by exposure to ultraviolet light, with many other factors, including family history, diet, and even things like eye trauma or certain medications.
