Cataract

Cataracts are most commonly seen in patients who are in their 70s or 80s, as it can be a part of the natural ageing process, however, cataracts can also develop due to inherited syndromes or as a complication of other diseases like diabetes. Certain factors can increase the risk of cataracts, such as long-term use of corticosteroid medication (steroids such as prednisone), and excessive exposure to sunlight (UV rays). Rare causes include infections during pregnancy that affect the baby's eyes and exposure to radiation during radiotherapy. It's worth noting that patients who have had an eye injury can also develop cataracts at an earlier age.

Cataracts occur when the proteins in the lens of the eye undergo changes that affect the lens clarity. The lens is normally transparent and helps focus light onto the retina at the back of the eye. However, with a cataract, the lens becomes cloudy, appearing as white patches in the centre of the pupil. As the cataract progresses, the cloudiness increases, eventually forming a white pupil.

Mild symptoms begin as hazy distance vision, mainly affecting driving and TV text reading.  Glare also develops, which causes issues with oncoming headlights at nighttime.  As cataracts progress, further visual disturbances occur that can cause difficulty reading or seeing dark objects in dim light (contrast sensitivity).  Ghosting or double vision also develops.  If significant loss of vision occurs in one eye, then even depth perception can be affected, which can result in tripping and falls, or car accidents.

Common symptoms of cataracts include:

• Blurry or cloudy vision
• Faded colours
• Increased or extreme glare from lights
• Poor vision at night
• Difficulty with near vision or distance vision
• Seeing multiple images
• Frequent changes in eyeglass prescription