Signs and symptoms

A cataract usually develops slowly and causes no pain. At first, the cloudiness may affect only a small part of the lens (a clear, elliptical structure near the front of each eye) and you may be unaware of any vision loss. Over time, however, as the cataract grows larger, it clouds more of your lens and distorts the light passing through the lens. Eventually, this impairs your vision because of overall blur or image distortion.

Signs and symptoms of cataracts include:

* Clouded, blurred or dim vision
* Increasing difficulty with vision at night
* Sensitivity to light and glare
* Halos around lights
* The need for brighter light for reading and other activities
* Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
* Fading or yellowing of colors
* Double vision in a single eye

If you have a cataract, light from the sun, lamps or oncoming headlights may seem too bright. Glare and halos around lights can make driving uncomfortable and dangerous. You may experience eyestrain or find yourself blinking more often to clear your vision.

Cataracts don't typically cause any change in the appearance of your eye. Pain, redness, itching, irritation, aching in your eye or a discharge from your eye aren't signs or symptoms of a cataract, but may be signs and symptoms of other eye disorders.

A cataract isn't dangerous to the physical health of your eye unless the cataract becomes completely white, a condition known as an overripe (hypermature) cataract. This can cause inflammation, pain and headache. A hypermature cataract requires removal if it's associated with inflammation or pain.