As you get older, you start experiencing vision loss and the world around starts getting blurry. A cataract is the foremost cause of visual impairment among elderly people. It is a painless situation where the eyes’ lens blocks the light and vision become unclear,which can be treated by the Best ophthalmologist In India. Nowadays, it is common among the older demographic,as well as younger people. Luckily, it has become easy to detect and treat cataracts with improved technology and research. Nevertheless, it is beneficial to understand the early signs of cataracts, and this article will help you recognise these warning signs. Let us have a look on eye cataract signs and symptoms. Before we begin, let’s understand what ‘Cataracts’ is.

What are Cataracts?

A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens. With age, the eye’s natural lens starts to get hard, cloudy, and yellow. The proteins that occur naturally in the eyes begin to change their structure and interfere with vision over time.

In the initial stages, cataracts might not cause any problem and may only be on a tiny part of the lens, causing blurriness. However, the cataract might grow larger over time, affecting more areas of the lens making it even harder to see. Cataracts don’t spread from one eye to another. However, many people get cataracts in both eyes.

There are different types of cataracts, including age-related cataracts, secondary cataracts that usually happen because of a disease, traumatic cataracts that occur after an eye injury, or congenital cataracts, where the babies are either born with this problem or develop it during their childhood.

What are the Causes of Cataracts?

It is an unpleasant condition of ageing. No one can point out an exact reason that causes cataracts, but there are several possible causes:

• Eye injury
• Diabetes
• Inherited genetic disorders
• Too much exposure to the sun
• Excessive use of steroids
• Lifestyle choices

What are the symptoms of Cataracts?

If you recognise these early symptoms of cataracts, it becomes important to get them diagnosed and treated in the initial stages. The following are the most common symptoms:

• Blurry Vision

Cloudy or blurry vision – People affected usually compare this symptom to looking through a foggy window.

• Difficult Night Vision

People have a hard time seeing during the night. Their vision gets darker, and any activity at night, including driving or working, becomes tricky.

• Double Vision

People are prone to double vision while looking with one eye. The clouding of the lens can lead to seeing two or more images of the same object.

• Halos or Glares Around the Light

The clouding of the lens can result in the diffraction of light entering the eyes. It can cause a halo to appear around the light sources. A person affected by a cataract sees a ring of different colours around every light source, making it difficult to see clearly. It is one of the reasons why driving becomes tedious when you have cataracts because you see glares around the streetlights and headlights.

• Increased Sensitivity to Light

People with cataracts find it extremely difficult to look at bright light. They face immense discomfort and start squinting or blinking while looking at the sunlight or any bright light. People also develop headaches when they face flashy lights.

• Visible Colour Change of Lenses

When the cataract affects your eyes, there is a noticeable colour change in the lens. Some people experience a yellowish or brownish tinge in the vision, leading to visual impairment. It is challenging to perform daily activities like reading, writing, or watching television. When the colour change is at an advanced stage, people find it difficult to differentiate the colours like blue or purple.

• Recurrent Changes of Glasses

One of the prominent signs of cataracts is the need to change eyeglasses or contact lenses frequently. If one is affected by cataracts, performing daily activities becomes difficult since the vision deteriorates with time.

Eye cataract signs and symptoms – Conclusion

As you get older, the chances of developing cataracts are highly likely. Therefore, it is necessary to learn about cataracts so that you can take action early and don’t have to live with these challenges. Remember, these hurdles can be crossed easily. Once you start noticing these symptoms, you should consult the Best eye doctor in India so that you can take the necessary steps to preserve your vision.