What are the symptoms of Cataracts?

Symptoms of Cataracts are: (1) Difficulty seeing due to poor color or light contrast. (2) Color blindness or a recent change in color perception. (3) Blind spots or blind areas in vision. (4) Can see tiny dots or objects in vision, i.e. floaters. (5) Seeing flashes of light. (6) Seeing jagged spots of light, like the teeth of a saw. (7) Poor vision. (8) Poor eyesight in the dark (Night blindness). (9) Blurred vision. (10) History of eczema / atopic dermatitis

Cataracts Quiz

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Reviewed By:

Ami Shah Vira, MD (Ophthalmology)

Dr. Shah Vira grew up in Arizona. She moved to Chicago to complete a combined engineering and medical program at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and Chicago Medical School. She completed a highly competitive two year dual fellowship in Neuro-ophthalmology and Oculoplastic at the highly regarded Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Shah Vira specializes in surgical correction of the eyelids and eyebrows, eyelid malposition and tumors, excessive tearing, and conditions involving the orbit.

Masashi Mimura, MD (Ophthalmology)

Dr. Mimura Graduated from the Osaka Medical College and obtained his ophthalmologist certification in 2007. He opened an outpatient clinic for oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at Osaka Kaijo Hospital. Subsequently, he was appointed as the assistant professor at the Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, in 2014. He then served an international fellowship at the Department of Ophthalmology/Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery, California State University, San Diego. Since then, he has been appointed as Lecturer in the Departments of Ophthalmology at Osaka Medical College and Toho University Medical Center Sakura Hospital. Dr. Mimura is currently the Director of Oculofacial Clinic Osaka, where he specializes in Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

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Content updated on Mar 31, 2024

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How Ubie Can Help You

With an easy 3-min questionnaire , Ubie's AI-powered system will generate a free report on possible causes.

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Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.

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Eye floaters and flashes
Flashes or flickering lights in vision
Sudden blind spots
Small shapes appearing in my vision
Experiencing vision loss that inhibits ability to drive
Flickering or flashes of light even when you are in a dark room
Floaters in the eye

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What is Cataracts?

Degeneration of the lens inside the eye causes it to become opaque. As a result, lights appear glaring and vision becomes blurred. In older adults, cataracts are usually caused by aging. In children, however, they may be due to genetic conditions, drugs, or viral infections while in the womb.

Typical Symptoms of Cataracts

Difficulty seeing due to poor color or light contrast
Color blindness or a recent change in color perception
Blind spots or blind areas in vision
Can see tiny dots or objects in vision, i.e. floaters
Seeing flashes of light
Seeing jagged spots of light, like the teeth of a saw
Poor vision
Poor eyesight in the dark (Night blindness)

Doctor's Diagnostic Questionson Cataracts

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:

Is it hard for you to distinguish subtle differences in color intensity or brightness?
Do you have color blindness or recent change in color perception?
Are you experiencing any blind spots in your vision?
Do you see floating shapes or dots in your vision (like insects)?
Do you see flickering or flashes of light in the dark?

Treatmentof Cataracts

Lifestyle adjustments like using a magnifying glass to read and increasing the lighting power at home can improve symptoms. Surgery to replace the lens is commonly done and effective.

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Cataracts

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Diseases related to Cataracts

References

Thompson J, Lakhani N. Cataracts. Prim Care. 2015 Sep;42(3):409-23. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2015.05.012. PMID: 26319346.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0095454315000457?via%3Dihub
Shiels A, Hejtmancik JF. Biology of Inherited Cataracts and Opportunities for Treatment. Annu Rev Vis Sci. 2019 Sep 15;5:123-149. doi: 10.1146/annurev-vision-091517-034346. PMID: 31525139; PMCID: PMC6791712.
https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-vision-091517-034346
Davenport KM, Patel AA. Cataracts. Pediatr Rev. 2011 Feb;32(2):82-3. doi: 10.1542/pir.32-2-82. PMID: 21285306.
https://publications.aap.org/pediatricsinreview/article-abstract/32/2/82/32867/Cataracts?redirectedFrom=fulltext