What Are Cataracts?

Inside our eyes, we have a natural lens. The lens bends (refracts) light rays that come into the eye to help us see. The lens should be clear, like the top lens in the illustration.

Vision problems with cataracts

If you have a cataract, your lens has become cloudy, like the bottom lens in the illustration. It is like looking through a foggy or dusty car windshield. Things look blurry, hazy or less colorful with a cataract.

The top lens is a clear, natural lens. The bottom lens shows clouding by cataract.

What Are the Symptoms of Cataracts?

Most age-related cataracts develop gradually. As a result, you may not notice signs or changes in your vision right away when cataracts first develop.

Cataract symptom progression

Here are some vision changes you may notice if you have a cataract:

• Having blurry vision
• Seeing double (when you see two images instead of one)
• Being extra sensitive to light
• Having trouble seeing well at night, or needing more light when you read
• Seeing bright colors as faded or yellow instead

Dull or yellow vision
from cataracts.

Blurry or dim vision is a symptom of cataracts.

Distortion or ghost images from cataracts.

See a simulation of what vision with cataract looks like.