Here are the signs of eye cataracts
Eye cataracts, one of the most common eye condition in the world, have affected many people and here are the silent signs that you must know.
Though this is common, most cases remain undetected until the condition progressed because the person affected by this does not feel pain and the loss of sight is subtle, according to the article from Reader’s Digest. One or both eyes may suffer when you have cataracts which are identified as a cloudy or opaque area on the crystalline lens of the eye. This develops over time.
Optometrists, in order to diagnose this condition, will check the yellowing in the lens of the eye and opacity in the back capsule. Here are the silent signs that you should not ignore:
Cloudy or blurry vision
Joseph Fishkin, MD, comprehensive ophthalmologist, and cataract surgeon said that having a blurry vision is one of the most common signs of eye cataracts. “Blurred vision can be caused by many different problems but, as cataracts develop, vision gets more blurry over time. The natural lens in our eye helps light focus properly, and this normally clear lens slowly becomes more cloudy,” he said.
Decreased color perception
You may see colors are less vibrant if you have a cloudy vision. Example, other people may see white but for you, it is more of a yellowish. Michael Nordlund, MD of Cincinnati Eye Institute attests to this. “Patients often comment following surgery that they don’t ever remember seeing such vibrant colors. In fact, we are just restoring the color vision of their youth,” he shared.
Sensitivity to light and glare
If you have this eye condition, the light will become your biggest enemy because you can stand looking at it for a longer time. James Schumer, MD, ophthalmologist, related that light does not have a clear path to the back of the eye when the cataract develops. This will make the person’s vision unclear.
Difficulty driving at night
Most people affected by eye cataracts will have difficulty driving at night because it is difficult for them to “balance the contrast between the darkness and bright lights from oncoming traffic”, according to the article. “Patients often complain of a problem with night driving and reading road signs. If you notice these and/or frequent changes in your eyeglass or contact lens prescription, make an appointment to see your eye doctor for an exam,” Shoshana Ungerleider, MD, internal medicine physician at Sutter Health’s California Pacific Medical Center said.
Trouble reading fine print
If you are already using reading glasses but you still having difficulty reading fine print, then, the problem might be the cataract. “Things start to look like there is a film in front of your eyes. The sharpness is gone,” Scott MacRae, MD, ophthalmologist and chairman of the Public Health Committee with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Double vision
Double vision, also known as Diplopia, is one of the silent signs of this eye condition. Dean Hart, OD, optometrist and professor at Columbia University’s School of Medicine said that cataract may cause cloudiness in the vision that will affect only a small part of the lens of the eye. This can be unnoticeable. However, he said that when the cataract grows bigger, it will cloud the bigger part of the lens and this will distort the light passing through it. With this, you can develop diplopia in one eye affected by cataract.
Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
Monica Nguyen, OD said, “Since these are silent symptoms, it is important to have an annual eye exam because cataracts are diagnosed through high magnification and high illumination examination of the lens.” She added that there is no proven approach to prevent cataracts but there are strategies that can be done to prevent this. It is also advisable to have an annual eye exam.
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