8 Signs You May Be Suffering from Cataracts

15 Aug 8 Signs You May Be Suffering from Cataracts

Cataracts are a common eye condition affecting more than 24 million Americans. While people can develop cataracts at any age, they’re more common in people over 55, with about half of all US adults experiencing cataracts by age 80. In addition to age, other risk factors for cataracts include diabetes, smoking, obesity, and a previous eye injury.

Cataracts form when the lens tissue located behind your iris starts to break apart and form clumps. These clumps make your vision cloudy. Cataracts develop slowly, causing few symptoms early on. As they grow larger, your vision becomes more affected. Cataracts can develop in one or both eyes.

Often, people with cataracts can improve their vision, at first, with stronger prescription glasses, anti-glare sunglasses, or brighter lights for reading. But as the cataract advances and the changes in your vision more profoundly impact your life, only surgery can correct your vision.

Fortunately, cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed and successful surgeries in the country. More than 90 percent of cataract surgery patients have improved vision after the procedure.

8 common cataract signs

Many conditions can affect your vision. The condition may be a cataract if you experience the following symptoms:

• Cloudy or blurry vision
• Washed out, yellowed, or faded colors
• Difficulty driving or seeing at night
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to glare from headlights, the sun, or lamps, or halos around these lights
• Double vision in a single eye
• The need for brighter lights for reading
• Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions

If you experience one or more of these symptoms or you notice a change in your vision, see us at Witlin Center for Advanced Eye Care.

How to diagnose cataracts

To determine if you have cataracts, our doctors may perform one or more of these tests as part of a comprehensive eye exam.

Visual acuity test

This test uses an eye chart to measure the quality of your vision in each eye.

Dilated eye exam

Dilated eyes make the pupils more full, and this fullness makes it easier for the doctor to examine the back of the eye. With this test, the doctor can look for signs of a cataracts in your lens.

Slit lamp exam

This lamp is a type of microscope that enables the doctor to examine your cornea, iris, and lens and look for abnormalities

How to prevent cataracts

While cataracts are common and a normal part of aging, you can prevent them or slow their development with healthy lifestyle choices. These include:

• Quitting smoking
• Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables to maintain good eye health
• Wearing sunglasses and a hat when you’re outside to block harmful ultraviolet light
• Limit the use of alcoholic beverages
• Have regular eye examinations

If you suspect you have a cataract, call the ophthalmologists at Witlin Center for Advanced Eye Care with locations in East Brunswick, Toms River, and Morristown, New Jersey, for diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan, or make an appointment online through this website.