Cataracts Health Video

Cataracts are usually age related opacities that form in the crystalline lens of the eye. Get professional tips and advice on cataracts in this video.

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Avoid smoking
Avoid excessive sunlight exposure
See your eye doctor if you are experiencing cataract symptoms

About this Author

Dr. Patel grew up in Texas and studied at the University of Texas at Arlington. In 1996, he graduated as a member of the Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society with a doctor of optometry degree from the University of Houston. Dr. Patel completed a residency in Hospital Based and Geriatric Eye Care at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. During his residency, Dr. Patel served as a clinical instructor to interns from Pacific University and the New England College of Optometry. Dr. Patel has provided hours of clinical procedures workshops for both the Oregon and Alberta, Canada Optometric Associations. He has volunteered his skills on an eye care team in Thailand, and the Special Olympics programs in Oregon. Dr. Patel also serves as a clinical examiner for the National Boards in Optometry, as a consultant to the Portland VA Medical Center, and Adjunct Faculty for the Pacific University College of Optometry.

DR. RAJ PATEL: Hi, I'm Dr. Raj Patel, Optometrist at Vancouver Contact Lens and Vision Clinic here in Vancouver, Washington. I'd like to talk to you a little bit about cataracts. What is a cataract? A cataract is the clouding of that internal lens of the eye which is normally clear. That internal lens helps focus light as it comes through the pupil that when a lens starts becoming a little cloudy, patients sometimes complain that their vision seems a little foggy. And so, as a lens gets a little foggy, when light passes through there, it becomes a little blurrier to see. The light hits that cloudy lens and it scatters and so glare sometimes become complaints of individuals that have cataracts. When individuals have these cataracts or this clouding of the lens, that prevents a sharp point of focus from happening by the lens in the eye. So, as result, other complaints of individuals with cataracts have is a difficulty in seeing, either reading or driving a car. Especially at night, in dim light, cataracts tend to be much more problematic. Cataracts, although they commonly affect distant vision, they also can occasionally cause a problem with your near vision depending on the style of cataract that's found internal in the eye. There are a few different types of cataract but generally they all occur within the lens in just different aspects of the lens. This clouding of the lens, which is normally clear, is actually just a normal process of maturity. Outside that maturity, there is a small amount of individuals that can have cataracts develop from birth, and those are called congenital cataracts. There are a couple of common things that can cause cataracts to happen a little faster as we age and that includes smoking and UV exposure. And so there have been lots of studies out there that showed the prevalence of cataracts related to individual that smoke or have UV exposure, essentially being outside in the sunlight without their sunglasses on it. So, most Americans over the age of 65 will have some degree of cataracts that are typically not enough to be affecting the vision making it a problem enough to where it might require cataract surgery. Cataract surgery is typically more probable in folks over 75 and have cataracts. There is a vast amount of individuals in that age range that tend to have cataracts that are affecting their eyes to the point where they do not enjoy their activities of daily living. Some of the risk factors that increase your risk of developing cataracts include diabetes, prolonged use of steroids, for example if you have had a back injury or knee problem and you have had to use steroids, prednisone tablets ongoingly, that can occasionally cause cataracts to develop faster, excessive exposure to sunlight, smoking, and obviously age. Symptoms can include complaints of cloudiness or blurriness, having difficulty in seeing especially in dim light, sensitivity to light, glares, halos. The nice thing is that cataracts are treated pretty easily, very straightforward. The initial way that we deal with cataracts in the early stages is to make glasses a little stronger or increase the lighting to help patients get by until a point where they do not enjoy doing the things they like doing. At that point, we refer them to a cataract specialist to have them surgically removed. So, when cataract surgery is necessary, the cloudy lens inside the eyes are moved and a manmade implant is put in its place, and a new clear implant lets in light ones again and so things are nice and clear and sharp and brighter. And so, fortunately cataract surgery is one of the most common eye surgeries done in the US, and so it has a very high safety record and it is very effective. So, if you are an individual that might be exhibiting some of the signs or symptoms that are suggestive of a cataract, check in with your eye doctor. There are great ways to help with that.