Can Cataracts Cause Blindness?

Your body changes in a lot of ways as you get older, and one of the most noticeable areas of change is your eyes. Suddenly, reading the menu at a restaurant is a lot harder. That’s a normal sign of aging. But if you’ve noticed that your vision starts to look blurry whether something’s close or far away, it might be more than a sign you need readers. It could be cataracts.

Don’t worry. Cataracts are extremely common — the number of people affected is even expected to double by 2050. They’re also very treatable. In fact, at all of our Benjamin Optical offices throughout New York City, our team offers targeted cataract care.

The trick is to seek care once you notice the signs of cataracts forming in your eyes. Why? Because left untreated, they can cause blindness. 

Spotting cataracts

Cataracts develop as the proteins in the lens on the front of your eye break down through the years. As they break down, they can build up in the lens, making it cloudy. 

This leads to symptoms like:

• Blurry or foggy-looking vision
• Faded colors
• Double vision
• Heightened light sensitivity
• Trouble seeing, especially at night

If you notice that things look fuzzy or you’re having to turn more lights on to see clearly, it could be cataracts. 

Left untreated, that cloudiness in the lens of your eye will only worsen. If you let it go unchecked, it will continue causing increased vision loss until you’re essentially blind.

Correcting cataracts

Now, the good news. Cataracts are very treatable. 

When you observe changes in your vision, make an appointment with our Benjamin Optical team. At our offices, we can evaluate your eyes — and diagnose cataracts — using tools like slit lamp exams, pupil dilation, retinal exams, and visual acuity tests. 

In the early days of cataract development, we can help you see clearly using prescription glasses. We may also recommend adding more light to your home and workplace to help.

If your cataracts have developed to the point that you can’t see clearly even with these corrections, we recommend a specialized type of surgery. During cataract surgery, your surgeon removes the clouded lens from the front of your eye and replaces it with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). 

You’ll usually begin to see more clearly within a few days of your cataract surgery. 

All told, cataracts can cause blindness, but we have a way to combat that and keep you seeing through the years. If you think you might be living with cataracts, don’t hesitate to call any of our offices or book the earliest available appointment online to find the right treatment option for your eyes.