How to prevent cataracts at any age
From wearing sunglasses to boosting certain nutrients in your diet, here are tips to help ward off cataracts and keep your vision clear
Keeping your eyes healthy as you age is incredibly important. Like your body, your vision will change over time. Making sure to schedule regular checkups is equally important, according to Ronald Benner, O.D., an optometrist and the president of the American Optometric Association. “Some individuals mistakenly believe that if they don’t have any vision problems then they don’t need to see a doctor of optometry to get a comprehensive, in-person eye exam,” he says. “However, eye exams performed by doctors of optometry can detect more than 270 serious health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases and even some forms of cancer.”
One serious health issue your eye care provider is looking for when they exam your eyes is any signs of cataracts. The eye condition is the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Cataracts are also the leading cause of vision loss in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.1
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What are cataracts and what causes them?
Cataracts can occur at any age, but they tend to develop most often in people over the age of 55.2 The condition occurs when the normally clear lens within the eye becomes cloudy or opaque.3 Different factors influence whether you are going to develop cataracts. They include:3
- Your age
- Your history of illness or disease
- If you take steroid medications
- If you’ve experienced eye injuries
- You have a family history of cataracts
- If you are a smoker
- If you spend a lot of time in the sun
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What are the types of cataracts?
You may think the term “cataracts” refers to a single condition. But cataracts can develop in 3 different areas within the lens of your eye. That’s because your lenses are composed of layers. The outer layer is the capsule, and the inside is the cortex. Deep inside the cortex is the nucleus. “A cataract can develop in any of those areas,” Dr. Benner says.
In other words, cataracts can develop in the center of your lens, in the area surrounding the center, or in the back of the lens. The different types are named for their location within the lens:3
- A nuclear cataract develops in the center of the lens. This is when the nucleus begins to darken with age. The color then evolves from clear to yellow and sometimes brown, Dr. Benner notes.
- A cortical cataract occurs in the lens layers that surround the nucleus. When they develop, the cataract looks like a wagon wheel or bike spoke, according to Dr. Benner.
- A posterior polar cataract develops in the outer layer of the lens. Even though its name implies a cataract, it’s really a membrane that covers your lens. This tends to happen after someone has had surgery to remove a naturally developed cataract.4
What are the symptoms of cataracts?
Cataracts develop very slowly and usually without any noticeable pain. The condition typically begins in both eyes at the same time, but it can potentially progress at different rates, according to Dr. Benner. Mild indicators that a cataract may be forming include:3
- Colors look faded
- Lamps, sunlight or headlights seem too bright
- You can’t see well at night
- Your vision is cloudy or blurry
- You see a halo around lights
- You see double
- The prescription in your glasses or contact lenses changes often
How can I prevent cataracts?
Researchers have yet to discover a treatment that prevents cataract progression. Even though a clinically proven approach isn’t available, there are preventive strategies you can use to discourage the development of cataracts.2
- Wear ultraviolet (UV) light–blocking sunglasses to reduce your exposure to UV rays.
- Stop smoking.
- Increase your antioxidant intake by eating more leafy green vegetables.5
- Increase your intake of lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc.5
- Schedule an annual comprehensive eye exam.
How are cataracts treated?
You have options. The path your eye care provider recommends will be based on the severity of your cataracts and how much they are harming your vision, according to Dr. Benner. If your vision is only minimally affected, you may not need treatment at all, he notes. In some cases, simply changing your prescription may be helpful. For others, an antiglare coating on your lenses could work. Even increased light while reading can help, he adds.
However, if your cataracts have progressed to a point where you can’t see or have difficulty doing everyday tasks, surgery may be the best bet.2
Dr. Benner says there are 2 types of cataract surgery:
- Small incision surgery. This occurs on the side of the cornea. Here, ultrasound waves are used to break up the lens so that it can be removed. An artificial lens is then inserted into the eye.
- Extracapsular surgery. This is also done on the cornea. Here, a large incision is made and the whole lens is removed. It is replaced with an artificial lens.
The good news is that once a cataract is removed, it cannot grow back. “Successful cataract surgery removes the eye’s cloudy natural lens and replaces it with a clear artificial lens,” Dr. Benner says. “This artificial lens is transparent and remains so because there’s no natural lens left in the eye.”
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Sources:
- Common Eye Disorders and Diseases Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last reviewed December 2022.
- Cataract American Optometric Association.
- Cataracts National Eye Institute, last updated January 2023.
- Diet and Nutrition American Optometric Association.
