Understanding the Symptoms and Treatments for Cataracts By Jane Farrell June Is Cataract Awareness Month Know the symptoms and treatments. A cataract is a clouding of a lens in your eye. Leading causes are age, smoking, and diabetes, with increased risk from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet sunlight and a family history of cataracts. Cataracts may also develop after eye surgery or an eye injury. ΓÇ£Early intervention is key,ΓÇ¥ says Dr. Bruce Rosenthal, Chief of Low Vision Services, Lighthouse Guild. ΓÇ£The best way to know if your symptoms are caused by cataracts or another eye disorder is to see an eye care professional for a vision test and comprehensive dilated eye exam.ΓÇ¥ Symptoms of cataracts include: Cloudy or blurry vision Seeing faded colors Glare, with headlights, lamp, or sunlight appearing too bright Seeing a halo around lights Worse vision at night Double vision/seeing multiple images Having to change your eyeglasses or contact lens prescription often ΓÇ£The early symptoms of cataracts may improve with new glasses, antiglare sunglasses, magnifying lenses, or brighter lighting,ΓÇ¥ Dr. Rosenthal explains. ΓÇ£But if you donΓÇÖt see enough improvement in your vision, you may need surgery to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial lens.ΓÇ¥ Surgery needed on both eyes is usually done separately, about four weeks apart.ΓÇ¥ Lighthouse Guild provides exceptional services that inspire people who are visually impaired to attain their goals. Our podcast series, ΓÇ£On Tech & Vision with Dr. Cal RobertsΓÇ¥ offers information and insights about technological innovations that are tearing down barriers for people who are blind or visually impaired. For more information, visit Lighthouseguild.org.