A cataract is when your eye’s natural lens becomes cloudy. Our natural lens purpose is to bend (refract) light rays that enter the eye so that we can see. When we are born, this natural lens is clear and flexible and therefore in our youth we are able to see clearly and with a wide range. As we age, this lens becomes less flexible (typically in our 40s) and our range of good vision deteriorates. Due to the loss of lens flexibility, we become more reliant on reading glasses or progressives/bifocals to see near objects. Eventually this lens becomes cloudy and we call that a cataract.
Proteins in our natural lens begin to break down over time and this causes the once clear lens to become cloudy. Normal aging is the most common cause of cataracts. Other causes of cataract development include:
Our doctors will evaluate your overall eye health and diagnose the severity of your cataract. If your cataract symptoms do not bother you much, you do not need to have cataract surgery. A change in your glasses prescription could be all that is required and your cataract can be evaluated over time as it progresses. If your cataract begins to affect your normal activities (e.g., avoiding night driving, reducing your ability to read, etc.) you will likely require cataract surgery. Ultimately, you will have a discussion with one of our doctors to determine whether you should proceed with cataract surgery or wait.