A cataract can occur when the clarity of your lens gets blurry. It starts when proteins in your eye form clusters that stop the lens from sending clear pictures to the retina. The retina changes the light that enters the lens into signals and sends these to the optic nerve, which takes signals to the brain.

When Does Cataract Develop in the Eyes?

A cataract develops gradually and eventually interferes with your sight. You may get cataracts in both eyes, but they generally don’t develop simultaneously. Your doctor can suggest the right cataract treatment as per the condition of your eye.

Most cataracts emerge with growing age, and that is the reason cataracts are common in older people. To decide if you have a cataract, your eye specialist will check your medical history and symptoms and perform an eye examination.

Common Symptoms of Cataracts

 You may have cataract if you experience the following symptoms:

• Blurry vision
• Difficulty seeing at night
• A requirement for recurrent changes in prescription glasses
• Halos nearby lights
• Seeing colours as faded
• Enlarged sensitivity to glare
• Double vision in your affected eye

Which Tests Can Diagnose Cataract?

 The doctor may conduct numerous tests to diagnose cataract like:

• Retinal Test 

To get ready for a retinal exam, your eye doctor will put eye drops in your eyes to expand your pupils (dilate). It makes the procedure easier for the doctor to examine the back of your eyes (retina). The doctor uses a slit lamp or a special device named ophthalmoscope to examine your lens for cataract symptoms.

• Visual Acuity Test

In a visual acuity test, a doctor uses an eye chart to examine how well you can read a sequence of letters. The doctor tests your eyes one at a time, and the other eye is covered.

With a chart or a viewing device having increasingly smaller letters, your eye specialist decides if you have 20/20 vision or any signs of vision impairment in your eyes.

• Slit-lamp Examination

A slit lamp enables your eye specialist to see the structures at the front of the eye under magnification. The microscope is known as a slit lamp as it uses a penetrating line of light, a slit. It is to brighten your iris, cornea, lens, and the space between your cornea and iris. With the slit, your doctor can view these structures in small units, making it easier for him to find any tiny abnormalities.

Once you are diagnosed with a cataract, you can ask your doctor for a suitable cataract treatment for you.

Common Causes of Cataract 

• Exposure to UV rays

If you step outside without wearing eye protection, you may be doing irreversible damage to your eyes by not guarding them against the sun’s damaging rays. However, you can prevent oxidative strain to your eye lens by protecting them with sunglasses with 100 percent UVA and UVB protection.

• An Unhealthy Diet

A high-fat and low-fibre diet never provides the essential nutrients and vitamins that your body needs. You can keep a healthy vision if you follow a healthy diet.

You should take a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and some amount of good fats like monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.

Finally, you must discuss your case with your doctor and opt for suitable cataract treatment. Even if you undergo cataract surgery, you return home the same day of your surgery.

Have you or a loved one had cataract treatment?

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