Posted by: Associates in Ophthalmology (NJ) in Cataracts
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the world. It’s estimated that they affect the vision of about 100 million people worldwide.
Despite this, cataracts are not seen as a very serious issue. Cataract surgery is now considered to be one of the safest procedures a doctor can perform.
One of the issues with cataracts is they grow extremely slowly over time. For most people, by the time they realize they have a cataract, their vision has already worsened.
Wondering if you may have cataracts? Keep reading for some of the most common symptoms to keep an eye out for!
Blurry Vision
The most obvious symptoms of cataracts are not being able to see well. This effect, like most other symptoms, worsens over time.
For some people with cataracts, they may see a brief improvement in their reading vision. This benefit is short-lived and is followed by a decline in your eyesight.
This usually means you’ll experience some form of blurry vision. Things that were once clear will look less clear. Many describe it as trying to look through a foggy or frosty window.
Night Vision
Eyesight with cataracts is particularly bad in low light. You may notice driving at night to be particularly difficult.
When a cataract develops, it takes over the lens in the eye. Over time, this decreases the amount of light that can come through the eye.
When driving at night, you may suffer from glare or halos around lights. This will only get worse as your cataract continues developing.
Glare
Occasionally, cataracts will produce glare. This occurs when the cataracts are shaped in a way that scatters light. This causes the light to bounce around inside the eye.
This sensitivity to light can be painful but is usually the only pain with cataracts.
Halos
Rings around light sources are not uncommon with cataracts. This is due to the cataract’s effect on light diffraction inside of your eye.
These halos can be distracting and further impede your already worsening vision. This is clear at night because of street lights and headlights from oncoming traffic.
The Effects on Color
Cataracts may create a distinctly yellow and brown tint to your vision. This is because, over time, cataracts turn this color. As a result, all the light that passes through takes on the same quality.
In general, with cataracts, you can expect your color vision to be more faded.
Prescription Changes
Before you know if you have cataracts, you may notice you need to get new glasses more and more frequently. This is because your vision is deteriorating from the internal effects of cataracts.
If you notice that you are constantly buying new glasses, this is a common sign of cataracts.
Double Vision
Sometimes, cataracts will cause you to see two images of whatever it is that you are looking at. This is, of course, known as double vision and can be quite disorienting.
This symptom may subside as the cataract grows larger and continues developing.
Do the following symptoms sound familiar? Schedule a cataract screening at Associates in Ophthalmology in Livingston, NJ today! We’ll help you get back on the road to seeing clearly!
