Cataracts

Detect and treat cataracts at a San Diego eye care specialist near you.

Cataracts cloud your vision. Tiny proteins accumulate in the eye lens and interfere with vision.

They grow slowly. Over time cataracts will reduce the ability to read, drive, and perform day-to-day tasks. There are short term solutions to help make the most of remaining vision. However surgery is often used to correct this problem.

Learn more below and contact a trusted eye care provider to find the right treatment for you. Find an office near you in the San Diego area.

How Cataracts Affect Vision

Cataracts form in the lens of the eye. As the eyes age, lenses become thicker and less flexible and the tissue begins to break down and clump together.

The normally clear lens becomes clouded and diminishes vision. Cataracts can occur in one or both eyes.

As cataracts grow, vision may change in several ways. Typical symptoms may include:

  • Cloudy, blurry, or dim vision

  • More difficulty seeing at night

  • More sensitivity to light and glare

  • “Halos" around light sources

  • Need for frequent changes in eye prescriptions

  • Perception of fading or yellowing of colors

  • Double vision in a single eye

Cataracts can occur in different parts of the eye lens. Depending upon their location, the symptoms may vary. The most common types include:

Nuclear cataracts, which cloud the center of the lens, are the most common form. Vision may become more nearsighted or even temporarily improved for reading. Both clear vision and colors will be distorted.

Cortical cataracts begin as streaks on the outer edge of the lens. Glare is a common issue.

Posterior subcapsular cataracts, which usually form near the back of the lens, are associated with underlying illness or injury. This kind causes difficulty with reading or glare.

Treating Cataracts

The symptoms of early cataracts can be managed and improved in many ways including new eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses, or magnifying lenses. When cataracts grow large enough to interfere with sharp vision and day-to-day tasks, it may be time to consider surgery.

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