Symptoms – What is a cataract?

A cataract occurs when the lens of your eye becomes cloudy, affecting your vision. The lens, which works like a camera lens, is mostly protein and water; over time, the protein can clump together and form a cataract. Age-related cataracts develop gradually and can be influenced by factors such as eye injury, previous surgery, diabetes, long-term steroid use, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption. Cataracts usually affect both eyes but may progress at different rates. Symptoms include blurry or cloudy vision, difficulty seeing at night, faded colours, glare, halos around lights, and frequent changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions. Cataracts can also affect driving if vision standards are not met. The only treatment is cataract surgery, which is quick, safe, and usually takes around 15 minutes.