Symptoms and Causes of Cataracts

A persons eye has a lens and this lens has a job. The lens has to focus all the light
that is passing into and through the eye. This is so that sharp and clear images are
produced on the retina. The lens is a light-sensitive membrane and it is almost
exactly like the film inside a camera. A cataract may form on the lens as a person
ages. When this happens, the lens starts becomes less flexible, transparent and it
becomes thicker.

Medical conditions and age cause the tissue inside the lens to start breaking and to
clump together. This clouds up small areas inside the lens. Cataracts will continue
to develop and cause this cloudy parts to become denser as it gets bigger in size.
The cataract blocks some of the light that goes into the eye and this prevents sharp,
defined images to reach the retina. Thus, seeing clearly becomes difficult.

Cataracts may develop in both eyes, but might not be the same size in both the
eyes. It could be that one of your eyes has more advanced cataracts and that will
cause your vision to be different between the eyes.

Symptoms & Signs of cataracts

Symptoms may include:
Fading colors
Yellowing of colors
Clouded vision
Blurred vision
Dim vision
Double vision in only one eye
Need brighter light when reading or doing other activities
Vision at night will be a lot worse
Sensitivity to glare and lights
Changing eyeglasses or contact lens very often
Seeing some halos around lights

In the beginning of the development of cataracts, a person might be unaware of the

loss of vision or cloudy vision. This is because it only covers up a tiny part of the
lens. As cataracts grow more and more of the light entering the eye will be
distorted. This will make it more noticeable and symptoms will be clearer.

When should you see a doctor?

You should make an appointment with an eye doctor as soon as you notice any
change in your vision. Also, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms listed
make sure to see an eye doctor as soon as you can. Or any other issues with your
eyes.

Double vision
Flashes of light
Sudden headaches
Sudden eye pain

Most of the time, cataracts develop from injuries or changes to the tissue that your
lens is made of, plus aging of course. If you have inherited any genetic disorders
that may cause health problems, then your risk of developing cataracts also tends
to be higher. Listed here are some other things that may also cause cataracts to
develop.

Past eye surgery

Diabetes
Long-term use of steroid medications
Smoking
 Obesity
Too much sunlight exposure
High blood pressure
Drinking too much alcohol
Past eye inflammation or injury

Cataracts Types
The following are different types of cataracts:

Nuclear Cataracts
A nuclear cataract is a cataract that affects the central part of the lens. If you have a
nuclear cataract, it may first cause nearsightedness or it may even cause a
temporary improvement in reading vision. However, with time the cataract will
become more densely yellow and will cloud your vision more.
As time goes by and the progress of the cataract slowly continues, the lens of your
eye may eventually turn brown. If the brown or yellowing colored of the lens is
advanced, you might have difficulty in distinguishing shades of color.

Cortical Cataracts
A cortical cataract affects the edges of your lens. It starts off as whitish streaks on
the outside edges of the lens. As it progresses these whitish streaks will extend to
the center of the lens and will start interfering with the light entering the eye
through the center of the lens.

Congenital Cataracts
A congenital cataract is one that a person is born with. Well, some people are born
with it and others may develop it sometime during childhood. This type of cataract
can be genetic or it may be related to an intrauterine trauma or infection.

Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts

This is known to be the most common out of the different types of cataracts. This
type of cataract forms on the back side of the lens. It forms directly behind the lens
where the light should pass through. Posterior subcapsular cataracts often interfere
with reading and you may have difficulty to see in the dark or where there isnt
sufficient light. This type of cataract is one that progresses faster than any of the
others.
If you have any issues with your eyes or sight, it is best to visit your eye doctor just
to be safe.