Cataract

Cataract

A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye. Cataracts are very common as you get older. In fact, more than half of all age 80 or older either have cataracts or have had surgery to get rid of cataracts. 

At first, you may not notice that you have a cataract. But over time, cataracts can make your vision blurry, hazy, or less colorful. You may have trouble reading or doing other everyday activities. 

The good news is that surgery can get rid of cataracts. Cataract surgery is safe and corrects vision problems caused by cataracts.  

 A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye. Most cataracts are age-related — they happen because of normal changes in your eyes as you get older. But you can get cataracts for other reasons, too.  

What are the symptoms of cataracts?

You might not have any symptoms at first, when cataracts are mild. But as cataracts grow, they can cause changes in your vision. For example, you may notice that:

• Your vision is cloudy or blurry
• Colors look faded
• You can’t see well at night
• Lamps, sunlight, or headlights seem too bright
• You see a halo around lights
• You see double (this sometimes goes away as the cataract gets bigger)
• You have to change the prescription for your glasses often

These symptoms can be a sign of other eye problems, too. Be sure to talk to your eye doctor if you have any of these problems.

Over time, cataracts can lead to vision loss.

Am I at risk for cataracts?

Your risk for cataracts goes up as you get older. You’re also at higher risk if you:

• Have certain health problems, like diabetes
• Smoke
• Drink too much alcohol
• Have a family history of cataracts
• Have had an eye injury, eye surgery, or radiation treatment on your upper body
• Have spent a lot of time in the sun
• Take steroids (medicines used to treat a variety of health problems, like arthritis and rashes)

If you’re worried you might be at risk for cataracts, talk with your doctor. Ask if there is anything you can do to lower your risk.

What causes cataracts?

Most cataracts are caused by normal changes in your eyes as you get older.

When you’re young, the lens in your eye is clear. Around age 40, the proteins in the lens of your eye start to break down and clump together. This clump makes a cloudy area on your lens — or a cataract. Over time, the cataract gets more severe and clouds more of the lens.

How can I prevent cataracts?

You can take steps to protect your eyes and delay cataracts.

• Wear sunglasses and a hat with a brim to block the sun.
• Quit smoking. 
• Eat healthy. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables — especially dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens.
• Get a dilated eye exam. If you’re age 60 or older, get a dilated eye e

No matter what type of cataract you have, the treatment is always surgery.

There are 5 main types of cataracts.

Age-related cataract

As you age, a cataract can develop because of natural changes in the lens of your eye. This is called an age-related cataract, and it’s the most common type of cataract. Age-related cataracts may be more likely to form if you: 

• Smoke 
• Drink too much alcohol 
• Have a family history of cataract 
• Have diabetes 
• Have had certain eye surgeries, like glaucoma surgery 
• Take steroids (medicines used to treat a variety of health problems, like arthritis or allergies) for a long time 

Traumatic cataract

Serious eye injuries can damage your lens and cause a cataract. The cataract could form quickly after the injury — or it could form many years later. 

Radiation cataract

Certain types of radiation can cause cataracts. This includes ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun and radiation treatment for cancer. 

Pediatric cataract

Children can get cataracts, too. They can be born with cataracts (congenital cataracts), or develop them later on.  

Cataracts in children are rare, and they’re usually genetic — they run in families. They can also happen because of serious complications during pregnancy or because of illnesses during childhood, like uveitis or tumors in the eye. Children can also get cataracts for the same reasons as adults — eye injuries, radiation, or steroid medications. 

When pediatric cataracts are large enough to cause vision problems, they need immediate treatment. It’s important to treat these cataracts early on so your child doesn’t develop other vision problems, like amblyopia (lazy eye).  

Other pediatric cataracts are so small that they won’t hurt your child’s vision. Your child’s doctor can monitor these smaller cataracts to make sure they don’t cause vision problems.

How do I prepare for cataract surgery?

At your doctor’s office before the day of the surgery, your doctor will do some tests to measure the size and shape of your eye. You may need to use some special eye drops before the surgery, and your doctor may tell you not to eat anything the night before your surgery. 

You won’t be able to drive yourself home after the surgery, and you’ll need a friend or family member to make sure you get home safely — so be sure to bring someone with you. 

If you have cataracts in both eyes, you’ll need to have surgery on each eye at a separate time, usually about 4 weeks apart. 

What happens during cataract surgery?

During surgery, the doctor will remove the cloudy lens from your eye and replace it with an artificial lens (called an intraocular lens). The surgery lasts about 1 hour and is almost painless.  

Usually, you will be awake during cataract surgery. You might notice lights or motion, but you won’t be able to see what your doctor is doing. 

When you get this surgery, your doctor will: 

• Put numbing drops into your eye to keep you from feeling anything 
• Use tiny tools to cut into your eye, break up the lens, and take it out 
• Place the new artificial lens in your eye 

Right after surgery, you will need to rest in a recovery area outside the operating room for a little while. Before you go home, the medical team will check to make sure you don’t have any problems with your eye. 

What happens after cataract surgery?

Your doctor will explain how to protect your eye after cataract surgery. They will give you eye drops to help your eye heal and you may need to wear a special eye shield or glasses. You may need to avoid some activities for a few weeks, like touching your eye, bending over, or lifting heavy things. 

Your eye may feel a bit itchy or uncomfortable and sensitive to light and touch. After 1 or 2 days, your eye should feel better. 

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these problems after surgery: 

• Vision loss 
• Bad pain that won’t go away even if you take medicine for it 
• Very red eyes 
• Flashes of light or a lot of small dark spots or squiggly lines that float across your vision (floaters) 

Most people are completely healed 8 weeks after their surgery. Your doctor will schedule checkups to make sure your eye is healing correctly. 

Will my vision be normal after cataract surgery?

About 9 out of 10 people who get cataract surgery see better afterward, but your vision might be blurry at first while your eye recovers.  

Some people notice that colors seem brighter after cataract surgery. This is because the artificial lens is clear, while your natural lens had a yellow or brown tint from the cataract. 

Once your eye is completely healed, you might need a new prescription for glasses or contact lenses to see clearly. 

What are the risks of cataract surgery?

Cataract surgery is one of the most common, safe, and effective types of surgery done in the United States. But like any surgery, there are risks, including: 

• Swelling, bleeding, or infections 
• Vision loss or double vision 
• Unusual changes in eye pressure 
• Retinal detachment 
• Secondary cataract (posterior capsule opacity) 

Your doctor can treat these problems if they are caught early. Be sure to go to all of your checkups, and call your doctor if you notice anything wrong with your eyes or your vision. 

Who needs cataract surgery?

Your doctor will probably suggest cataract surgery if you have vision loss that gets in the way of everyday activities like reading, driving, or watching TV.  

Sometimes, your doctor might recommend cataract surgery even if your cataracts aren’t the main cause of your vision problems. For example, cataracts might need to be removed so that your doctor can see the back of your eye. If you have another eye condition, like diabetic retinopathy or age-related macular degeneration (AMD), your doctor will need to see the back of your eye to help you manage it.  

Cataracts are not a medical emergency, and you don’t need to rush to have surgery to remove them. Ask your doctor about the risks and benefits of cataract surgery to decide if it’s is right for you.  

What is secondary cataract?

After cataract surgery, some people may develop a condition called secondary cataract, or posterior capsule opacification. Secondary cataracts aren’t actually cataracts, because they’re caused by cloudiness on the outside of your lens, not the inside — but they make your vision cloudy. Secondary cataracts can appear weeks, months, or even years after cataract surgery — but they are easy to fix with a laser treatment in the doctor’s office.

Secondary cataract (posterior capsule opacification)

After cataract surgery, some people may develop a condition called secondary cataract that makes their vision cloudy again. This condition is also called after-cataract or posterior capsule opacification. Secondary cataract is common, but it’s easy to fix with a laser treatment in your eye doctor’s office.  

During cataract surgery, your doctor removes the lens from your eye and replaces it with a clear artificial lens. But over time, the thin membrane that holds your new lens in place can grow scar tissue and make your vision cloudy again. 

Secondary cataracts aren’t actually cataracts, because they’re caused by cloudiness on the outside of your lens, not the inside — but the vision problems they cause are very similar. Up to half of all people who have had cataract surgery will develop a secondary cataract. 

Treatment for secondary cataract is quick and painless. Your doctor will use a laser to make an opening in the membrane behind the artificial lens in your eye — this is called YAG laser capsulotomy. Most people will notice their vision is back to normal a few days after the procedure.