What Are Cataracts? Signs, Causes and When to Get Checked

September 22, 2026
10:11 pm

The short answer

A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens inside your eye. It usually forms slowly as we get older and makes vision hazy, dim or glary — especially at night. Early on, new glasses and brighter light can help. When a cataract gets in the way of daily life, surgery is the only way to remove it. But blurry vision isn’t always a cataract, so the first step is a dilated eye exam to find out what’s really going on.

If your vision has slowly gone hazy — like looking through a foggy windshield or glasses you can’t wipe clean — a cataract may be the reason. Cataracts are very common as we get older. They come on slowly, usually over years.

At first you might just need more light to read, or notice that headlights seem too bright at night. Little by little, things can look dimmer, blurrier and less colorful. Because it happens so slowly, many people don’t notice how much has changed.

Here’s something worth knowing before you assume it’s a cataract: other eye problems can blur your vision too — diabetes-related eye disease, macular degeneration, glaucoma and dry eye among them. Some of those need care sooner. That’s why a careful eye exam comes first.

This guide explains what cataracts are, why they form, how to tell when it’s time to do something, and what the options are.

Key Takeaways

A cataract is a clouding of the lens inside your eye. It blurs and dims your vision over time.
Most cataracts come with age. Diabetes, smoking, sun, steroid medicines and eye injuries can bring them on sooner.
Early cataracts can often be managed with new glasses and brighter lighting. There’s usually no rush.
No eye drop, pill or diet dissolves a cataract. Surgery is the only way to remove one.
Blurry vision can have other causes, so an eye exam tells you whether it’s really a cataract.
You and your eye doctor decide when it’s time, based on how much it affects your daily life.

What Is a Cataract?

Inside your eye, just behind the colored part (the iris), is a clear lens. It focuses light onto the retina (the back of your eye that senses light) so you see clearly. When you’re young, the lens is crystal clear. Over time, the proteins in the lens can clump together, and the lens slowly turns cloudy. That cloudy area is a cataract.

Picture a clean window compared with a fogged-up one. The foggier the lens gets, the more your vision blurs, dims and loses contrast. Colors can look faded or yellowed, and bright lights can spread into glare and halos.

Cataracts usually form in both eyes, but often not at the same speed, so one eye may be worse than the other. A cataract isn’t a growth or a film on top of the eye, and it isn’t caused by using your eyes too much. It’s a change inside the lens, most often a normal part of aging.

What Causes Cataracts, and Who Is at Risk?

Age is the main reason cataracts form. The National Eye Institute lists these other things that raise your risk:

Diabetes or other health problems
Smoking
Heavy alcohol use
Family history of cataracts
An eye injury, eye surgery, or radiation treatment on the upper body
Lots of time in the sun — something to think about for anyone living in Florida
Steroid medicines, such as those used for arthritis or allergies

People with diabetes are more likely to get cataracts, and diabetes can also affect the retina. If you have diabetes, your yearly dilated eye exam checks for both.

What Are the Early Signs of Cataracts?

When a cataract is mild, you might not notice anything at all. As it grows, watch for:

Cloudy, blurry or hazy vision that glasses don’t fully fix
Colors that look faded, dull or yellowed
Glare and halos around lights, especially headlights at night
More trouble seeing at night or in dim light
Needing brighter light to read
Glasses prescriptions that keep changing
Double vision in one eye

One odd early sign: some people find their close-up vision gets better for a while — sometimes called “second sight” — before the cataract gets worse. If your prescription keeps changing, or glare is making night driving harder, it’s worth getting checked.

Hazy vision or glare at night? We see patients in St. Petersburg, Clearwater and New Port Richey, and we check your insurance before your visit.

Call 727-738-5900

Is It a Cataract — or Something Else?

Blurry vision has many causes, and some are more urgent than a cataract. Here’s how a few common ones can differ. Only an eye exam can tell for sure.

Cataract: slow haze or dimness, glare and halos at night, faded colors. Changes over months or years.
Dry eye: blur that comes and goes, often clears for a moment when you blink. Burning or gritty eyes.
Diabetes-related eye disease: vision that changes from day to day, new spots or floaters. Often no signs at all early on.
Macular degeneration: trouble with the center of your vision — reading and seeing faces. Straight lines may look wavy.
Glaucoma: usually no early signs. Side vision is slowly lost.

Sudden vision loss, a sudden shower of new floaters or flashes of light, or eye pain is not a cataract sign — call right away.

How Is a Cataract Diagnosed?

A cataract is found during a full (comprehensive) eye exam:

Eye chart. Measures how much your vision has changed.
Slit lamp. A special microscope with a bright light lets the doctor look right at the lens, see the cataract, and judge how dense it is.
Dilation. Drops widen your pupils so the doctor can see the whole lens and the retina behind it. This also checks for other causes of blurry vision, like macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease or glaucoma. Bring sunglasses — your eyes may be blurry and sensitive to light for a few hours.

The exam tells you whether a cataract is really the reason your vision changed, and helps you and your doctor plan the timing of any treatment.

How Are Cataracts Treated?

Early cataracts

An early cataract doesn’t automatically mean surgery. The National Eye Institute says a new glasses or contact lens prescription, brighter lights at home or work, and anti-glare sunglasses can help you see better early on. A magnifier can help with small print. There’s no medicine, eye drop or diet that dissolves a cataract, no matter what you may read online.

When is it time for surgery?

Surgery becomes the answer when a cataract gets in the way of things that matter to you — driving safely, reading, working or enjoying hobbies. There’s no magic number. It’s your decision, made with your eye doctor. If that time comes, your eye doctor will explain your options and refer you to a cataract surgeon.

What happens in cataract surgery?

The surgeon removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with a clear artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL). It’s usually done as an outpatient procedure, meaning you go home the same day, with numbing drops so you’re awake but comfortable. Surgery is usually done one eye at a time. Afterward, you’ll use eye drops for a while and avoid rubbing your eye or heavy lifting. The National Eye Institute says cataract surgery is safe and corrects vision problems caused by cataracts. Like any procedure, it has some risks, and your surgeon will go over them with you.

Choosing a lens

The new lens stays in your eye for good, so your surgeon will help you choose. A standard lens gives clear vision at one distance, usually far, so most people still use reading glasses. Other lenses can reduce the need for glasses or correct astigmatism, but they may cost more and aren’t right for everyone.

Can You Lower Your Risk of Cataracts?

You can’t fully prevent cataracts — age catches up with everyone’s lenses eventually. The National Eye Institute suggests these steps to help protect your eyes:

Wear sunglasses and a hat with a brim to block the sun. In Florida, make it a daily habit.
Wear protective eyewear for yard work, sports and projects that could hurt your eyes.
If you smoke, quit. Free help: 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
Eat healthy foods — fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, nuts and whole grains.
Get regular eye exams so cataracts and other eye problems are found and tracked early.

When Should You See an Eye Doctor?

Make an appointment if your vision has become blurry or hazy, colors look faded, night driving has gotten harder because of glare, or your glasses prescription keeps changing. An exam will show whether it’s a cataract or something else.

Even without symptoms, regular eye exams matter — especially after 60 — because they catch cataracts and other age-related eye problems early. If you already know you have a cataract, keep your follow-up visits so your doctor can track it and talk about timing when you’re ready.

After Cataract Surgery

Depending on the lens you choose, you may still need reading glasses. And sometimes, months or years later, a thin layer behind the new lens can turn cloudy and blur your vision again. That’s not the cataract coming back — a cataract can’t return once it’s removed. This clouding can usually be treated with a quick laser procedure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the early signs of cataracts?

Early on, there may be no signs. As a cataract grows, common signs are hazy or cloudy vision, faded colors, glare and halos around lights at night, needing more light to read, and glasses prescriptions that keep changing.

Can cataracts be treated without surgery?

Early cataracts can often be managed without surgery for a long time with new glasses, brighter lighting and anti-glare sunglasses. But surgery is the only way to actually remove a cataract.

Can eye drops dissolve cataracts?

No. No eye drop, pill, supplement or diet has been shown to dissolve a cataract, even though you may see claims online.

When do you need cataract surgery?

When the cataract gets in the way of your daily life — like driving, reading or hobbies. There’s no set number. You and your eye doctor decide together.

Is cataract surgery safe?

The National Eye Institute says cataract surgery is safe and corrects vision problems caused by cataracts. Every procedure has some risk, and your surgeon will explain them before you decide.

Do cataracts come back after surgery?

No. Once the cloudy lens is removed, the cataract can’t return. Some people later get a cloudy film behind the new lens, which can usually be cleared with a quick laser treatment.

Can I drive with cataracts?

It depends on how much the cataract affects your vision. Glare at night is often the first problem. Your eye doctor can check whether your vision is safe for driving and meets Florida’s license requirements.

Does diabetes cause cataracts?

Diabetes raises your risk of cataracts, and they may form at a younger age. People with diabetes also need a yearly dilated eye exam to check the retina — the same visit checks for cataracts.

Will I still need glasses after cataract surgery?

Often, yes, at least for some things. With a standard lens, most people use reading glasses for close work. Other lens options can reduce the need for glasses, but no lens is perfect for everyone.

Find Out What’s Causing Your Blurry Vision

Hazy, dim or glary vision is worth checking — whether it turns out to be a cataract or something else. Dr. James Powers and our team see patients at our St. Petersburg, Clearwater and New Port Richey offices. We’ll find out what’s causing the change and explain your options, including when it may be time to talk with a cataract surgeon. We check your insurance before your visit.

Ready to schedule your eye exam?