A cataract is the clouding of the natural lens of the eye, which leads to blurry or dim vision. The lens is normally clear and helps focus light onto the retina, but with age or injury, it can become opaque. This condition prevents light from passing through clearly and can cause glare, double vision, or difficulty seeing at night.
Cataracts are mainly associated with aging, but they can also result from diabetes, prolonged sun exposure, smoking, or certain eye injuries. Some people can develop congenital cataracts present at birth. Over time, cataracts can affect one or both eyes, and symptoms usually progress gradually.
Common symptoms include:
◑︎ Blurred or cloudy vision
◑︎︎ Increased light sensitivity and glare
◑︎︎ Fading or yellowing of colors
◑︎︎ Poor night vision
◑︎ Difficulty reading small print or recognizing faces
Our expert team at Chopra Nethralaya diagnoses cataracts with a comprehensive eye exam, including:
◑︎ Visual acuity test (checks clarity of vision)
◑︎︎ Slit-lamp examination (evaluates lens transparency)
◑︎︎ Retinal exam after pupil dilation (assesses retina and lens changes)
In the early stages, stronger eyeglasses or better lighting may help. However, surgery is the only effective treatment to permanently remove cataracts. During cataract surgery at Chopra Nethralaya, the cloudy lens is replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) to restore clear vision.
