5 Signs You May Have Cataracts
When you drive at night, do you see halos around lights? Do clothes you know are white look yellow to you?
These are signs that you could be developing cataracts. Cataracts can impact your life as they grow. Eventually, you may want to consider cataract surgery. Keep reading for 5 signs that you may have cataracts!
What are Cataracts?
When the proteins in the eye’s lens break down, it can cause people to have blurry vision. This often means that you are developing cataracts.
When you don’t have cataracts, the lens is clear and easy to see through. With cataracts, the lens becomes cloudy and harder to see through.
Most patients with cataracts say that it is like looking at the world through a cloudy window. When you have cataracts, it can make colors look faded, make detail-oriented tasks difficult, and impossible to drive at night.
Cataracts are incredibly common. About half of your peers will have or had cataracts by the age of 80.
1. Difficulty Driving at Night
When you have cataracts, you may start experiencing cloudy vision. This can make it difficult to differentiate between light and dark places.
Some patients experience seeing halos around lights at night. You may also get headaches from looking at street lamps and headlights.
2. Vision Changes
Early on, cataracts are small and develop slowly. They do not impact your vision when they are this small. It’s as time goes on that your cataracts will get bigger and your vision will get worse.
The best way to diagnose and watch your cataracts is by getting regular eye exams. Cataracts can cause you to have blurry and dull vision.
Some patients develop a sensitivity to light. They may also see halos and glares around lights and need stronger light to do normal activities. Patients with cataracts may even develop double vision in one or both eyes.
3. Colors Look Faded
When your cataracts start to grow, they can make colors look faded or dull. For example, something you know is highlighter yellow could look pastel.
As cataracts continue to develop, colors will continue to look faded or more washed out. This will only get worse over time.
4. Experience Frequent Prescription Changes
When you have cataracts, your vision changes. Sometimes patients can go from being able to read easily to needing reading glasses.
These changes can happen within months. Needing frequent new prescriptions in a short time is a common symptom of cataracts.
5. Requiring Stronger Light
As your cataracts develop, you might need stronger light to see things clearly. This can be an issue when you are trying to do a detail-oriented task like reading, sewing, or trying to read a friend’s face.
Having more light can help you see clearly, but you will reach a point where it does not help anymore. It’s only a temporary solution.
Do you think that you have cataracts? Schedule a cataract screening at Complete EyeCare West in Columbus, OH with one of our ophthalmologists! There’s no reason to suffer from cataracts any longer!
