Cataracts
When to seean optician
If you have problems with your vision, make an appointment to see your optician (also known as an optometrist). They can examine your eyes and test your sight.
The optician may look at your eyes with a slit lamp or ophthalmoscope. These instruments magnify your eye and have a bright light at one endthat allows the optician to look inside and check for cataracts.
If your optician thinks you have cataracts, they may refer you to an ophthalmologist or an ophthalmic surgeon, who can confirm the diagnosis and plan your treatment. These doctors specialise in eye conditions, such as cataracts, and their treatment.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Cataracts occur when changes in the lens of the eye cause it to become less transparent (clear). This results in cloudy or misty vision. The lens is the crystalline structure that sits just behind your pupil (the black circle in the center of your eye).
Symptoms of cataracts
As cataracts develop over many years,problems may be unnoticeable at first. Cataracts often develop in both eyes, although each eye may be affected differently. You'll usually have blurred, cloudy or
When to seean optician
If you have problems with your vision, make an appointment to see your optician (also known as an optometrist). They can examine your eyes and test your sight. The optician may look at your eyes with
Who's affected
Cataracts are very common and they're the main cause of impaired vision worldwide. In the UK, most people who are aged 65 or older have some degree of visual impairment caused by cataracts. Men and w
What causes age-related cataracts?
The reasons why age-related cataracts develop aren't fully understood. Like grey hair, cataracts are an inevitable part of ageing that affect different people at different ages. Cataracts are the resu
Treating age-related cataracts
If your cataracts aren't too bad, stronger glasses and brighter reading lights may help. However, as cataracts get worse over time, it's likely that you'll eventually need treatment. Surgery is the on
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