6 Signs It’s Time to Consider Cataract Surgery

Cataracts develop slowly, so you’re unlikely to notice them initially. That’s one reason everyone should get a thorough baseline eye screening at age 40, when early signs of disease are unlikely to cause symptoms but can be detected by your ophthalmologist

Cataracts are extremely common with age. By age 80, more than half of Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery to remove them.

Cataracts are small protein buildups that eventually cause spots on your eye lens(es), impairing your vision. You can live with cataracts comfortably for decades. They grow slowly but, over time, affect your vision. That’s when it’s time to consider cataract surgery.

At the Rosenberg Eye Center Inc, with offices in Miami, Key West, and Tavernier, Florida, board-certified ophthalmologist Stanley Rosenberg, MD, has extensive experience in diagnosing, monitoring, and removing cataracts.

Here are the six signs he tells patients to watch for.

1. Blurry spots

As protein clots on the lens of your eye, your vision becomes blurry. These spots can gradually get bigger and more numerous. If blurred vision is getting continually worse, you need to book an eye exam.

2. Bad night vision

Cataracts can make it hard to see in the dark and can also cause halos around car headlamps and streetlights. Both of these can make driving at night dangerous and can mean your cataracts are getting worse.

3. Light sensitivity

Since cataracts interfere with your eye’s ability to focus light on your retina, artificial light or rays of the sun can seem too bright or glaring. This is another sign of worsening cataracts.

4. A constantly changing lens prescription

If your vision keeps getting worse and worse, making you update your prescription frequently, you may need to consider cataract surgery sooner rather than later.

5. Double vision

Another side effect of cataracts, which disrupts and scatters light that should be focused on the retina, is double vision, which may come and go. Double vision can make everyday tasks like driving, navigating stairs, cooking, and showering more difficult and even dangerous. It can also interfere with hobbies or watching television.

6. Loss of color and contrast

If you have cataracts, you may slowly begin to lose the ability to see different hues of color. Many describe this as looking through a dirty window, everything going yellow and brown like a sepia photograph.

Cataract surgery

Cataract surgery is safe, has a high success rate, and is extremely common, with nearly 4 million Americans undergoing the procedure annually. Dr. Rosenberg replaces the lens of your eye with a new one. The lens is called an intraocular lens (IOL) and is placed during an outpatient surgery.

To discuss cataracts and potential surgery, schedule a consultation with Dr. Rosenberg today. Call the office closest to you or use the online booking tool to request an appointment.