Cataract Awareness Month: Your Comprehensive Guide to Cataracts

Understanding Cataracts

Given the statistics, you might imagine cataracts as a widespread, severe condition threatening to take away everyone’s vision. However, cataracts are actually a common, relatively benign condition that naturally occurs as part of the aging process.

To understand how cataracts develop, it’s important to know a little about the anatomy of your eye. Inside your eye is a clear, flexible lens that helps focus light onto the retina at the back of the eye. This allows your brain to interpret the light as an image, much like a camera lens works. The lens is composed of a mix of collagen, the same substance found in hair and nails, and proteins. In fact, the majority of the lens is made up of these proteins.

As we age, the proteins in the lens begin to break down. Eventually, these proteins start to clump together, forming cloudy areas within the lens. Over time, the clumps grow larger, obscuring vision. This is why people with severe cataracts often have cloudy or milky pupils. Since cataracts are a natural part of the aging process, most people will develop them at some point, typically after the age of 40.

Causes of Cataracts

While aging is the primary cause of cataracts, several other factors can accelerate their development or make them more severe. These include health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, excessive steroid use, obesity, heavy alcohol consumption, excessive sun exposure, smoking, and previous eye surgeries or injuries. Genetics can also play a role in the development of cataracts.

Although you can’t completely prevent cataracts from forming due to aging, adopting healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet, staying active, and avoiding smoking or excessive alcohol use can help reduce your risk of developing cataracts.

Different Types of Cataracts

While all cataracts can lead to blindness and are generally treated with the same surgical procedure, you might be surprised to learn that there are different types of cataracts. Cataracts are generally classified based on where they form and at what age. There are currently five types of cataracts that eye doctors see most commonly:

• Nuclear Cataracts: Cataracts that form in the center of the lens and impact both near and far vision. 

• Cortical Cataracts: Cataracts that form on the side of the lens and block central vision. 

• Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts: Cataracts that form at the back of the lens and quickly impact vision in those with diabetic eye conditions. 

• Congenital Cataracts: Cataracts that affect children and can impact a child’s visual development. 

• Secondary Cataracts: Complications associated with cataract surgery that have similar symptoms to cataracts. 

For more information on the different types of cataracts, how they form, and what symptoms to look out for, check out our comprehensive guide to cataract types.

When to Consult an Eye Doctor About Cataracts

If you’ve been told that you’re developing cataracts, you may be wondering when it’s time to seek treatment. The need for treatment typically depends on how much the cataracts interfere with your daily life. For example, if you have a small cortical cataract that isn’t obstructing your vision and you’re not experiencing problems with glare, you may simply monitor the situation and wait.

However, there are certain symptoms that may indicate it’s time to consult with an eye doctor for cataract treatment:

• Glare or halos around lights 

• Trouble seeing in dim or low-light settings 

• Difficulty with night driving 

• Shadowing of your vision 

• Seeing color in a yellowish hue or as extremely faded 

• Poor color vision 

If you’re noticing any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to reach out to EyeCare Associates and schedule a cataract consultation appointment. 

Cataract Treatment

Once a cataract has fully developed, cataract surgery is the only effective treatment. During the procedure, your surgeon will make a small incision at the junction of the clear cornea and the white of the eye. A probe is used to break up the cloudy lens, which is then removed via suction. An artificial lens is inserted through the same incision to replace your natural lens and restore focus. The incision is self-sealing, and the healing process begins immediately. No stitches are needed, and only a few eye drops are used during recovery.

The surgery typically takes no more than 10 minutes. If cataracts are present in both eyes, the surgeries are generally performed one at a time, with a few weeks in between to ensure proper healing. Recovery times vary, but most patients report being able to resume normal activities within a day or two. To learn more about cataract surgery and other treatments, visit our Cataract Treatment page.

Best Practices for Preventing Cataract Development

While age-related cataracts can’t be completely avoided, adopting eye-healthy habits can help delay their onset and slow their progression. The key is to protect your eyes from oxidative stress, the “wear and tear” that causes the clear lens to become cloudy over time. Start with the strategies below, and don’t hesitate to discuss other options with your eye care provider.

1. Wear UV-Blocking Sunglasses: Ultraviolet light accelerates lens damage. By wearing full-spectrum sunglasses, you can decrease exposure to UV rays and potentially delay cataract formation. 

2. Quit Smoking: Smokers are two to three times more likely to develop cataracts because tobacco toxins create free radicals that cloud the lens. 

3. Follow an Antioxidant-Rich Diet: Load your plate with spinach, kale, citrus fruit, berries, carrots, and fish. Vitamins C and E, lutein, and zeaxanthin neutralize oxidative stress inside the eye. 

4. Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check: Uncontrolled diabetes causes sugar molecules to bind to the lens proteins, speeding up clouding. Good glucose control can postpone surgery and slow cataract development. 

5. Use Protective Eyewear: A serious eye injury can trigger traumatic cataracts, a clouding of the lens caused by foreign objects coming in contact with the eye. Wear safety glasses during sports, yard work, or any high-risk task to reduce your exposure.