What are the Symptoms of Cataracts?
Blur or Dimness
When we have developed a cataract, our vision may blur or dim. This is caused by the decreasing clarity of the eye's lens.
This decreasing clarity (increasing opacity) makes it difficult for the lens to focus light on the back of the eye, or the retina. In the early stages of cataracts, a change in your eyeglass or contact lens prescription and increasing the use of bright light may help you see better, but blur and dimness caused by a cataract can never be fully corrected by eyeglasses or contact lenses.
While cataracts are the most likely cause of blurry or dim vision in the aging eye, other conditions such as age-related macular degeneration or other vision problems such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism can also cause blurriness or dimness of vision.
If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, please see an eye care professional.
Blur or Dimness – Medical Detail
Because a cataract increases the refractive properties of your eye's lens, people who are far-sighted (hyperopic) can sometimes gain a temporary improvement in their vision. When a nuclear cataract develops, the refractive index of the lens actually increases and the nucleus becomes more curved, compensating for far-sightedness. This condition does not mean your cataract is "cured." The cataract will continue to progress, and this improvement will not last.
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Copyright © 2010 Alcon, Inc., a global company based in Hünenberg, Switzerland. The information on this site is intended for U.S. audiences and is not to be interpreted as a substitute for medical advice from your doctor.
