Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Lens opacity; Age-related cataract
Treatment
The following may help people who have an early cataract:
- Better eyeglasses
- Better lighting
- Magnifying lenses
- Sunglasses
As vision gets worse, you may need to make changes around the home to avoid falls and injuries.
The only treatment for a cataract is surgery to remove it. Surgery is done if you cannot perform normal activities, such as driving, reading, or looking at computer or video screens, even with glasses.
If a cataract is not bothersome, surgery is usually not necessary. Cataracts usually do not harm your eye, so you can have surgery when it is convenient for you.
However, some people may have additional eye problems, such as
For information on surgery, see:
Support Groups
Expectations (prognosis)
Vision may not improve to 20/20 after cataract surgery if other eye diseases, such as
Complications
Early diagnosis and treatment are key to preventing permanent vision problems.
Although rare, a cataract that progresses to an advanced stage can begin to leak into other parts of the eye. This may cause a painful form of
Calling your health care provider
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have:
- Decreased night vision
- Problems with glare
- Vision loss
Previous Section
Review Date: 08/31/2010
Reviewed By: Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La
Jolla, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
