A cataract is a cloudy area in lens of your eye that makes it hard to see clearly. When a cataract is small, you may not notice any changes in the way you see. Since cataracts usually grow slowly, your vision also gets worse slowly.

The Disease:

Cataracts affect the lens of your eye. The lens is located behind your iris, which is the colored part of your eye. The lens is used for focusing. It becomes flatter when you look at objects far away, and it becomes rounder when you look at close objects. Good vision depends on the passage of light through the lens. As cataracts develop, vision blurs because of the change in the passage of light through the lens to the retina. The retina is the part of the eye that takes light and images and translates them into vision.

The Risks:

Those who are at the highest risk of developing cataracts are age 65 and older. Cataracts may also develop in anyone (even if they are under 65) who has diabetes, smokes, or has a condition requiring the use of long term steroids.

The Symptoms:

The symptoms of cataracts may begin with slightly cloudy or blurry vision. Other common symptoms include a glare from bright lights or the sun, or a halo or haze around lights. Colors may seem faded and at times the early signs of cataracts may include double or multiple vision. Cataracts lead to a gradual loss of vision. If a person needs frequent changes in eyeglasses or contact lenses, this may be a sign of cataracts. Finally, once the disease progresses, it can cause a gray or white coloring of the pupil of the eye.

The Treatment:

The only proven treatment for cataracts is surgery. Until the person with cataracts and his or her doctor decide surgery is needed, the eye doctor may try using different eyeglasses, magnifying lenses, or stronger lighting to help vision. Cataract surgery is one of the most common operations done in the United States. It is quite safe and 95% effective. Most people have better vision after cataract surgery, but it may not be as good as it was before they had the cataract.

Recovery from the surgery is fairly quick. After a few days, vision is at an improved level. Complete healing from the surgery usually takes about 6 weeks. Problems after surgery are rare. Some possible complications are pain, redness, swelling, bleeding, and infection. Rarely, higher pressure inside the eye or detachment of the retina can occur. This is why follow up with the eye surgeon is important after the surgery is complete.

Prevention:

Many people are searching for ways to prove that different treatments may prevent cataracts. No conclusive studies have identified a preventive treatment. In short, other than avoiding risk factors, no one really knows how to prevent cataracts. This is why it is important for anyone who is age 60 or older to have a yearly eye exam through dilated pupils. If left untreated, it can lead to blindness. In fact, cataracts are the 3rd leading cause of blindness in the United States.

Michelle Herbert, PharmD, CDE