A cataract is a clouding of they eye’s lens. Cataracts develop slowly over time and will occur in virtually everybody as they age. A cataract may be caused by many things, but the most common causes include aging, ocular injury and other eye health problems.

Cataract symptoms are often overlooked by people because they progress so slowly. Often the very first signs of a cataract are blurry cloudy vision. Cataracts affect the way light passes through the eye and often affects vision. As the cataract grows the visual effects become more noticeable.

Another cataract symptom is frequent changes in eyeglass or contact prescriptions. As the cataract develops, vision is further and further impaired. As this happens slowly, it often appears that a new pair of glasses will fix the problem. Dealing with a cataract simply by changing the prescription will only be a short term fix. Eventually surgery will be needed or vision will be lost completely.

Often cataracts can affect night vision. With a cataract, vision becomes poor and people begin to see glare around lights. Often this glare appears in the form of a ring or halo. Double vision is also very common with a cataract developing, and is usually accompanied by a loss of contrast.

Due to the symptoms that cataracts cause, it is often an optometrist that first notices the cataract. At this point people are referred to a cataract surgeon. Cataract surgeons will usually recommend surgery only when the vision has been decreased enough to cause problems for the patient. Often they say that the cataract is “ripe” and ready to be removed. While cataract surgery is considered an elective surgery, patients with a cataract will most likely loose all vision unless the cataract is removed. Always speak with your eye doctor about all vision changes you have and have regular eye check ups to ensure timely diagnosis in order to keep all options open.