When most people think of cataracts, they correlate it with age and senior eye care, but age is not the only factor. Other factors can cause cataracts at any age, including eye disease, eye injury, or other medical issues. At Arena Eye Care Optometry in Sacramento, we will work with you to understand the symptoms, causes, and tests for cataracts.
What Causes Cataracts?
Cataracts are a condition where the eye lens becomes cloudy, and things appear hazy, blurry, or not as colorful as they should be. Since the most common cause of cataracts is age, senior eye care is essential. Beginning at the age of 40, you may experience regular eye changes resulting from the breakdown of proteins. The protein builds up in the lens, making it cloudy. It prevents light from coming through clearly and may cause slight vision loss. If you have cataracts, you may not experience vision problems right away.
What Are the Types of Cataracts?
Congenital: This is when someone's eyes have cataracts at birth. It can be caused by poor development while inside of the womb, injury, or an infection. These types of cataracts can also worsen during childhood.
Age-related: These cataracts develop as you age.
Secondary: This happens due to being exposed to ultraviolet light, toxic substances, or radiation. This type can also occur due to taking medicines like diuretics and steroids and can be related to medical conditions like diabetes.
Traumatic: These cataracts form after an injury to your eye.
What Are the Symptoms of Cataracts?
You might not notice any difference in your vision during the early stages of cataracts. As the condition progresses, the symptoms will become more apparent. The most common symptom of cataracts is cloudy vision. Other common symptoms of cataracts include:
- Increased challenges with nighttime vision
- Sensitive to glare and light
- Brighter lights are essential for reading
- Double vision in one of the eyes
- Constant adjustments in eyeglass prescriptions
How Do Eye Exams Help?
We can diagnose cataracts during your annual eye exam. Our team utilizes several tests during your eye exam to determine whether you have cataracts and their stage. We can diagnose cataracts and the severity of the condition by using measures like:
Pupil dilation: During the dilation of your eye, your pupil's size increases, which allows our doctors of optometry to get a full view of your lens. Our specialists can conclude if cataracts are affecting your vision quality after a thorough lens examination.
Potential Acuity Test: The potential acuity test, also known as the PAM test, evaluates how good your vision would be if you did not have a cataract. The PAM test uses a laser to transmit a visual acuity eye chart into your eye for you to read.
Contrast sensitivity: This test evaluates image contrast caused by glare and light scattering from the cataract.
Contact Us for Cataract Care in Sacramento
If you suspect you have cataracts, contact us at Arena Eye Care Optometry in Sacramento to schedule an appointment with Dr. Krister L Holmberg or Dr. Shephali Patel. Our team will work with you to properly assess the condition. Call us today to see how we can help you and your family's vision.