Cataracts are cloudy spots that can form on the lenses of your eyes. If you have cataracts, there are some steps you can take to help improve your vision.

Cataracts are a common eye condition that causes clouding of the lenses of your eyes. The condition leads to visual symptoms such as blurred vision and difficulty seeing at night. There are several ways to manage cataracts and possibly improve your vision, but surgery is the most effective treatment.

»LEARN MORE:What is a cataract?

According to the National Eye Institute, by 80 years of age, most people either have cataracts or have undergone cataract surgery. In the early stages of cataracts, there are several things you can do to help improve your vision and your daily functioning, including:

  • Maximizing the lighting: Using brighter light bulbs around your home can help with tasks that require closer vision, such as cooking and reading.
  • Keeping your glasses prescription up to date: Regular eye examinations can help ensure that your eyeglasses or contact lenses are suited to your current vision and provide the best correction.
  • Reducing glare: Adding an anti-glare coating to your eyeglasses and wearing sunglasses when outside can help improve your vision.

As cataracts progress, they become more opaque, making it harder for you to see. At some point, glasses may not help enough, and your ophthalmologist will likely recommend cataract surgery. This surgery is highly effective — in fact, 9 out of 10 people who have the surgery have better vision afterward.

Here are some signs that it may be time for cataract surgery:

  • Your glasses or contacts no longer correct your vision well enough.
  • Your vision has decreased to the point that it impairs your ability to perform daily functions like reading, driving, and recognizing faces.
  • You have difficulty watching TV or reading a computer screen, even with a large font.
  • You see significant halo or distortion, especially around lights and when doing things at night, such as driving.
  • You have double vision (you see two things when looking at only one item).

Other medical conditions can affect your treatment for cataracts, such as:

  • Diabetes: If you have diabetes, you may be more likely to develop cataracts earlier and may have additional complications after cataract surgery.
  • Uveitis (inflammation of the middle eye): If you have uveitis, you’ll need care to address the inflammation before surgery and may have complications after surgery.
  • Ocular surface disease, such as dry eye: Before surgery, your doctor will develop a pre-op plan to manage any eye condition that affects the surface of your eye, like dry eye. You might also need additional care after surgery.

While cataract surgery is a highly effective treatment, some people who cannot have the surgery may need to manage the condition in everyday life. If you have early cataracts or cannot have surgical treatment, strategies such as the following can help you cope with the condition:

  • Making home modifications: You might be able to improve the functionality of your home by using brighter light bulbs, adding more lighting, reducing glare with shades and fewer shiny surfaces, organizing your furnishings, and removing tripping hazards so you can navigate your home more easily.
  • Creating a support network of friends and family: If possible, ask friends and family to help you when necessary.
  • Choosing healthcare professionals to manage your care: Your ophthalmologist or other doctor will monitor your vision with regularly scheduled eye exams and work with you to develop a treatment and eye care plan.

Most people who undergo cataract surgery have an excellent outcome and improved vision. If you have other health conditions, you may need additional care or have a more complicated recovery.

Managing cataracts may involve modifying your home, asking for help when necessary, and stopping some activities, such as driving at night. Once your cataracts progress to the point that corrective lenses cannot improve your vision, surgery is an effective treatment option.

It’s important to find an ophthalmologist or another eye health professional to help you develop a plan for managing and treating cataracts once they develop.