Cataracts Quiz
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Clouded, blurred or dim vision
Unable to see well at night
Difficult to read or drive a car at night
Can't read in dim light
Sensitivity to light and glare
Seeing "halos" around lights
Seeing flashes of light
Blurry vision
A partial loss of vision
Floaters
Eye problems
Colors appear faded
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
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
- Changes in color perception
- Partial loss of vision
- Double vision
- Seeing jagged spots of light, like the teeth of a saw
- Vision problems
- Things appear darker or dimmer than before
- Need to scrunch eyes to look at faraway objects
Diagnostic Questions for 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?
- Have you experienced any changes in your color perception?
- Have you experienced partial loss of vision?
- Are you experiencing double vision?
- Do you see jagged light spots, like a saw's teeth?
Treatment of 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.
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.
Content updated on Dec 19, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Blind spots in vision
- My eyes hurt when i move them
- Loss of visual field
- Double vision in one eye
- Spots where vision is blocked or disturbed
- My vision is not clear
- Need bright light to see well
- Constantly bumping into things
- Double vision when looking with one eye closed
- Tunnel vision
- See everything double
- Blurred vision
- Peripheral vision loss
- Wavy shimmering lines in vision
- Temporary loss of vision and dizziness
See full list
Symptoms Related to Cataracts
Diseases Related to Cataracts
FAQs
Q.
Can’t See Up Close? Why Your Eyes Age & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Age-related near vision loss is usually presbyopia, a normal change caused by a stiffening lens and slightly weaker focusing muscles that typically starts around age 40 to 45. Medically approved next steps include booking a comprehensive eye exam to confirm the cause and review treatments such as reading glasses, bifocal or progressive lenses, contact lenses, prescription drops, and selected surgeries, while staying alert to urgent red flags like sudden vision loss, flashes, or severe pain since not all blur is presbyopia and cataracts can look similar. There are several factors to consider; see below for important details that can shape the best choice for your care.
References:
* Trinh, T., & Saubaméa, B. (2020). Presbyopia: A Review of Current Treatment Options. *Current Opinion in Ophthalmology*, *31*(5), 373-379. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32688000/
* Ostrin, L. A., & Glasser, A. (2022). Understanding Presbyopia: Current and Future Treatments. *Survey of Ophthalmology*, *67*(3), 738-751. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34551381/
* Moshirfar, M., & Motlagh, M. N. (2021). Presbyopia: Pathophysiology and Clinical Management. *Journal of Ophthalmology*, *2021*, 9918073. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34976728/
* Glasser, A., & Ostrin, L. A. (2023). Presbyopia: A Review of Its Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment. *Optometry and Vision Science*, *100*(2), 101-118. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36720163/
* Abdelkader, A. (2020). Pharmacological treatments for presbyopia. *Current Opinion in Ophthalmology*, *31*(4), 287-293. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32467362/
Q.
Is Your Vision Blurry? Why Your Lens is Clouding and Medical Next Steps
A.
Blurry or cloudy vision that worsens gradually is often caused by cataracts, a common and highly treatable clouding of the eye’s lens, especially with age, though other eye diseases can cause similar symptoms. Schedule a comprehensive eye exam to confirm the cause and discuss timing of treatment, since updated glasses and better lighting can help early on but the definitive fix is outpatient cataract surgery with a high success rate, and seek urgent care for sudden vision loss, flashes, a curtain over vision, severe pain, or neurologic symptoms. There are several factors that can change your next steps, including risks, alternatives, and when to wait versus proceed, so see the complete details below.
References:
* Padhye, L. P., & Padhye, J. G. (2022). Cataract: A Major Global Cause of Blindness. *The New England Journal of Medicine*, *387*(5), 454–465.
* Santhiago, M. R., & Waring, G. O., 4th. (2021). Diagnosis and Management of Cataract. *JAMA*, *325*(19), 2000–2001.
* Lim, X., & Poh, L. (2021). Cataract surgery: current techniques and future directions. *Eye (London, England)*, *35*(7), 1930–1941.
* Lou, G. H., Li, F., & Li, X. D. (2017). Age-related cataract: an update on pathophysiology and medical treatment options. *Current Eye Research*, *42*(8), 1108–1115.
* Shah, A., & Patel, K. A. (2017). Cataract: The current understanding of its aetiology and management. *Postgraduate Medical Journal*, *93*(1106), 783–787.
Q.
Is it Cataracts? Why Your Vision is Clouding & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Cloudy, blurry, glare-sensitive, or dim vision is commonly caused by cataracts, a gradual clouding of the eye’s lens that is confirmed by a painless dilated eye exam; early stages can be managed with updated glasses and brighter lighting, while significant impairment is safely treated with quick outpatient surgery that replaces the lens. There are several factors to consider. See below for urgent red flags that need immediate care, key risk factors like diabetes and steroid use, what cannot reverse cataracts, prevention tips such as UV protection and not smoking, and how to decide the right timing for surgery with your eye doctor.
References:
* Al-Ghoul, K. J., & Duncan, R. (2017). Age-Related Cataract: A Review of the Current Literature. *JAMA Ophthalmology*, 135(6), 614–621. PMID: 28492931
* Congdon, N., Varma, S. K., Sharma, Y., Ling, X., Fung, A. W. C., Yang, K., & Wu, S. C. (2015). Cataract. *The Lancet*, 385(9969), 748–759. PMID: 25683104
* Rautiainen, T., & Lehti, K. M. L. (2019). Evidence-based practice for cataract management. *BMC Ophthalmology*, 19(1), 38. PMID: 30732644
* Saini, A., Sharma, K., Singh, M., Singh, V., & Krishna, R. J. (2019). Current perspectives in medical management of cataract. *Ophthalmic Research*, 62(1), 4–11. PMID: 30654388
* Dhiman, S., & Shah, B. H. (2022). Update on Cataract Surgery. *Medical Clinics of North America*, 106(1), 167–181. PMID: 35017042
Q.
How much does cataract surgery cost?
A.
The cost of cataract surgery is going to vary significantly based on your insurance, your doctor, the exact type of surgery and where you live in the United States. Very roughly, the cost can range anywhere from $3000-$6000 per eye.
References:
Brown GC, Brown MM, Busbee BG. Cost-utility analysis of cataract surgery in the United States for the year 2018. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2019 Jul;45(7):927-938. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2019.02.006. PMID: 31262482.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
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%3DihubShiels 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-091517-034346Davenport 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