You’ve probably heard of a cataract. Maybe your parents had them. Maybe your friend or neighbor had theirs removed. Maybe you’ve been told you have them. More than thirty million people in the U.S. are affected by cataracts. Worldwide, 33 percent of the population experiences a decrease in vision due to cataracts, with cataracts causing blindness in 48 percent of the population. In the U.S., access to physicians and advanced surgical techniques makes blindness from cataracts a rarity, but it does still occur.

What is a cataract?

Your eye, like a camera, has a natural lens through which light is focused to the back part of the eye, which is called the retina (analogous to the film of a camera). With age, changes in the proteins that make up the natural lens result in the lens becoming cloudy. It is like looking through a foggy window; vision can become blurry. These changes typically happen over the course of years and can be subtle due to the slow progression of those changes.

How do I know if I have a cataract?

Cataracts can affect your vision in many ways. Symptoms most often include blurred vision up close or when looking far away. Cataracts can make it difficult to see in low light situations. Some people with cataracts may find that glare and halos are excessive when they drive, making them want to avoid the activity altogether. Colors can become dull and less vibrant.

Can cataracts be prevented?

I often tell my patients, “Only lucky people get cataracts because it means that you have lived long enough to get them!” Indeed, in the large majority of cases, cataracts are an age-related phenomenon. Certain other conditions can speed along cataract development, including diabetes, smoking, ultraviolet light exposure, trauma, and steroid use. Avoiding these things through the use of sunglasses, eye protection, and healthy habits can slow cataract formation, but eventually everyone who lives long enough will get cataracts.

What is the treatment for cataracts?

To date, there are no medical treatments that effectively treat cataracts. Thankfully, surgical techniques for cataract removal have advanced tremendously over the past several decades, resulting in an extremely safe procedure, with three million cataract surgeries being performed each year in the U.S. Microsurgery is completed using ultrasound energy to remove the cataract under a microscope. After cataract removal, a clear, man-made lens is placed in the eye, resulting in improved vision. Lasers and other technology can also be used to augment the removal of the cataract. The surgery takes around fifteen to twenty minutes to complete, with minimal recovery time. 

The team at the St. George Eye Center performs thousands of cataract surgeries each year and looks forward to helping you with all your eye health needs.

 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Evaluation and Management of Cataracts. Basic and Clinical Science Course, Section 11. Lens and Cataract. San Francisco: American Academy of Ophthalmology; 2019-2020:79-93