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Are Cataracts Painful?
Posted by: Georgia Eye Associates in Cataracts
Cataracts cause gradual vision loss due to the lens of the eye becoming cloudy. This process is very slow and almost unnoticeable until it starts to affect your daily life.
Cataracts do not cause pain, although they do cause a variety of symptoms. Keep reading to learn more about cataracts and some of the common symptoms you may experience!
Poor Vision
The most notable symptom of cataracts is, of course, the worsening of your eyesight. This happens because as the lens becomes cloudier, less and less light can pass through it.
Without light, there can be no vision. This is why vision loss is particularly noticeable at night.
If you are having difficulty driving, then you may want to consider cataract surgery.
Changes in Color Vision
Cataracts tend to change color as they ripen, turning a yellowish-brown. This affects the light that manages to pass through. As a result, it causes your eyes to see everything with a yellow tint around it.
Your vision may appear to be “washed out” and faded, as it will be difficult to determine contrast.
Glare
Certain kinds of cataracts may induce some degree of glare. This occurs in eyes with cataracts that grow around the periphery of the lens inwards.
The light that passes through the lens hits the cataract, then scatters and bounces all over the inside of the eye. This is the only situation in which cataracts might be “painful”, as you are more sensitive to light.
Halos
Cataracts can affect light in yet another way. Sometimes at a certain point during their development, you may begin to notice rings around fixed points of light at night.
These “halos” are particularly distracting while driving, due to oncoming traffic.
Double Vision
Another trick your cataracts might play on your eyes is causing double vision. A phantom copy of what you are looking at is created. This effect is usually short-lived and disappears as your cataract grows bigger.
Where the cataract grows in the lens has an effect on which of these symptoms show up. As mentioned, cataracts that grow from the edge inwards often cause glare.
These cataracts are called cortical cataracts. They are not the most common form of cataracts. The most common kind of cataract is a nuclear subcapsular cataract.
This kind of cataract grows from the center of the lens. The final type of cataract forms at the back of the lens and is called a posterior subcapsular cataract. These grow faster than other cataracts and can also cause glare or halos.
Whatever kind of cataract you are dealing with, the treatment is cataract surgery. During this surgery, the surgeon removes the natural lens of the eye.
The lens is then replaced with an artificial lens. There are even options that may be able to provide you with the best eyesight you have ever had!
To discuss these options and cataract surgery, contact Georgia Eye Associates! Schedule a cataract screening at Georgia Eye Associates in Atlanta, GA today!
Isn’t it time to say goodbye to your cataracts and welcome clear vision back into your life?
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