The severity of cataract formation, assuming no other eye disease is present, is judged primarily by a visual acuity test. Those with posterior subcapsular cataracts usually complain of glare as their major symptom. Nuclear cataracts typically cause greater impairment of distance vision than of near vision. People with nuclear sclerotic or brunescent cataracts often notice a reduction of vision. Signs and symptoms vary depending on the type of cataract, though considerable overlap occurs. īilateral cataracts in an infant due to congenital rubella syndrome Additionally they are more common in women, and less common in Hispanic and Black people. In the United States, cataracts occur in 68% of those over the age of 80 years. Blindness from cataracts occurs in about 10 to 40 per 100,000 children in the developing world, and 1 to 4 per 100,000 children in the developed world. It is the cause of approximately 5% of blindness in the United States and nearly 60% of blindness in parts of Africa and South America. Ībout 20 million people worldwide are blind due to cataracts. Cataract surgery is not readily available in many countries, and surgery is needed only if the cataracts are causing problems and generally results in an improved quality of life. If this does not help, surgery to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial lens is the only effective treatment. Early on the symptoms may be improved with glasses. Prevention includes wearing sunglasses, a wide brimmed hat, eating leafy vegetables and fruits, and avoiding smoking. The underlying mechanism involves accumulation of clumps of protein or yellow-brown pigment in the lens that reduces transmission of light to the retina at the back of the eye. Risk factors include diabetes, longstanding use of corticosteroid medication, smoking tobacco, prolonged exposure to sunlight, and alcohol. Ĭataracts are most commonly due to aging but may also occur due to trauma or radiation exposure, be present from birth, or occur following eye surgery for other problems.
Cataracts cause half of all cases of blindness and 33% of visual impairment worldwide. Poor vision caused by cataracts may also result in an increased risk of falling and depression. This may result in trouble driving, reading, or recognizing faces. Symptoms may include faded colors, blurry or double vision, halos around light, trouble with bright lights, and trouble seeing at night. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Magnified view of a cataract seen on examination with a slit lampįaded colors, blurry vision, halos around light, trouble with bright lights, trouble seeing at night Īging, trauma, radiation exposure, following eye surgery, genetic ĭiabetes, smoking tobacco, prolonged exposure to sunlight, alcohol Ī cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye that leads to a decrease in vision.
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