According to Prevent Blindness America, the founders of Cataract Awareness Month, it is estimated that over 22 million Americans age 40 and over have cataracts. Cataracts are the clouding of the natural lens of the eye which leads to decreased vision. Cataracts make vision comparable to looking through a foggy windshield and are the most common cause of blindness and are conventionally treated with surgery. Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed procedures in the United States and a recent study found that cataract surgery patients had significantly reduced rates of hip fractures due to falls.
- Lights seem too dim for reading or close-up work or you are overcome by strong light.
- You may sometimes notice the cataract in your eye as it may look like a milky or yellowish spot in the pupil of the eye.
- You change eyeglass prescriptions frequently and the change does not seem to improve your vision.
- You experience blurred vision, double vision, ghost images or the sense of a film over your eye.
