Cataracts are a common condition of older age. They happen when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy. Symptoms may include decreased vision at night, vision loss, and blurry vision.

Cataracts happen when the front of your eye — called the lens — becomes cloudy. This happens mostly due to age, and though treatment may initially involve lifestyle changes to ease symptoms, surgery to replace the lens is the only fix.

Read on to learn if you may be experiencing symptoms of cataracts, what you can do to ease symptoms, and when to see a doctor

Cataracts form as the proteins in your eye’s lens start to break down and clump together. This causes a buildup at the front of your eye that can interfere with your vision.

Most cataracts happen after age 60. By age 75, most people will have cataracts that affect their vision.

You can’t necessarily see cataracts in your own eyes, particularly at the early stage as the changes are happening inside the eye lens. At later stages, you may see cataracts as milky or white film over the pupil of your eye.

Initial symptoms of cataracts can include:

  • blurry vision
  • difficulty seeing at night time
  • colors appear muted or faded
  • sensitivity to glare
  • seeing halos around lights
  • double vision

Contact your doctor if you experience any changes to your vision. There are different stages to cataracts, so initially, you may only have slightly blurred vision and other subtle changes.

Another sign of cataracts can be if you often need to change your eyeglass prescription due to changes in your vision.

To help reduce your chance of developing cataracts, you may be able to manage some of your risk factors.

For example, making sure that certain conditions are monitored properly and reducing some risks that you may have more control over.

Some factors that increase your risk of cataracts include:

  • diabetes
  • eye inflammation
  • eye injury
  • eye surgery for a different eye issue
  • having family members with cataracts
  • long-term use of oral corticosteroids
  • certain medications, including some antipsychotics and chemotherapy drugs
  • radiation exposure
  • smoking
  • excessive UV exposure

You may be to reduce your risk of developing cataracts or slow their progression through certain lifestyle measures.

Regular eye check-ups can also help you manage your eye health and detect any changes early. This is particularly important if you have any of the risk factors listed above.

A doctor will carry out a full eye exam, including pupil dilation, so they can see your lenses and retina clearly. They may use a slit lamp to view your eye.

They’ll also likely test the pressure in your eye and get you to do a visual acuity test. If you may need surgery, your doctor might use biometry to measure the size of your eye.

When you have your test, you’ll need to remove any contact lenses first.

The dilation drops used in the test can also affect your vision, so it’s best to use public transport or have someone take you home rather than driving yourself.

Take information with you that may be useful for your doctor to know. This can include:

  • list of symptoms you are experiencing
  • list of existing conditions you have
  • details of medication you are taking and dosage
  • family history of any eye conditions
  • details of past eye injuries, conditions, or surgeries

It may also be helpful to bring sunglasses with you as the dilating chemicals may make your eyes more sensitive to light temporarily.

Treatment for each cataract stage can vary, though you’ll usually require surgery at some point.

However, your doctor may suggest managing your symptoms with certain lifestyle strategies first if symptoms are not affecting your daily life. This can help slow progression, but will not reverse or cure cataracts.

Cataract surgery is considered safe and typically takes under 1 hour to complete. It involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial one. Symptoms usually improve in just a few weeks following the surgery.

If you don’t get surgery when needed, it may lead to future complications, as cataracts will not go away on their own.

Some organisations can help you with financial assistance for cataract surgery.

Contact your doctor if you have any vision changes, whether they appear suddenly or come on gradually. Though it may not be cataracts, your doctor can investigate to find out if you have any other eye issues causing your symptoms.

Symptoms of cataracts include gradual sight changes, such as seeing halos around lights, double or blurry vision, and problems seeing in low light.

It’s also a good idea to mention to your doctor or optometrist if you have any risk factors for cataracts, such as a family history of cataracts or if you have certain conditions such as diabetes.

Lifestyle changes cannot reverse or cure cataracts, but may help slow their progression. Your doctor will advise you if this is the best option for you. Otherwise, surgery is usually the main course of treatment, and it’s important to get this when needed to prevent future complications from the condition.