by Carla White

Created on: February 20, 2011

Cataracts are a highly common vision problem with over half of people in the U.S. either having existing cataracts or having had cataract surgery by the time they are 80 years old. Typically, cataracts are an aging-related condition, although they can occur for other reasons and/or in younger people such as from diabetes, an injury, or radiation exposure. Congenital cataracts can be present at birth or may develop later in childhood. Cataracts tend to form slowly, affecting only small areas of the eye at first, and can go unnoticed for years. Thus, the term "age-related" may be misleading, since cataracts sometimes begin forming during the middle years (40s or 50s), but do not cause noticeable vision changes until later. Regular eye exams are important at any age, and especially during the later years to catch any potential problems early.

The lens of the eye consists largely of protein and water. As the eye ages, these proteins can lose their normal arrangement and begin to form clumps, creating cloudy areas on the lens and reducing the amount of light entering the eye. These cloudy areas of protein are cataracts.

The Mayo Clinic provides the following list of cataract symptoms: clouded, blurred or dim vision; increasing difficulty with vision at night; sensitivity to light and glare; seeing "halos" around lights; frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription; fading or yellowing of colors; double vision in a single eye. Any of these might also indicate another problem with your eye besides cataracts. If you or someone you know has any of these symptoms, an eye doctor should be contacted as soon as possible. The National Eye Institute provides comparison photos of what the world looks like to someone with normal vision versus to someone with cataracts.

In the early stages, if there is minimal visual impairment, the cataract can be treated with glasses, better lighting, use of a magnifying glass when needed, and sunglasses to reduce irritation from glare. However, if the cataract is impairing the person's ability to perform normal daily activities - driving, reading, writing, cooking, etc. - the cataract needs to be removed surgically. There is no rush to have a cataract removed in that while the cataract will continue to get worse, it does not usually cause actual damage to the eye, and waiting to have the cataract removed does not usually jeopardize gaining back your vision. The patient and eye doctor need to discuss whether surgery is recommended

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