3 Signs That It May Not Be Cataracts
Are you experiencing vision problems? It may or may not be cataracts.
Cataract patients often experience blurry vision. Sometimes this blurry vision is described as “foggy.”
Your vision may be a lot like looking through a foggy window. Other signs of cataracts include seeing halos around light sources.
This can include walkway lights, street lights, and headlights. These can make it hard to get around at night, especially if you’re driving.
Cataracts aren’t the only eye condition that can cause vision problems. Glaucoma and retinopathy can also cause blurry vision and vision loss.
Cataracts usually develop gradually, worsening over time. Other eye conditions come on suddenly. Keep reading for a few signs that your vision problems may not be cataracts!
Floaters
Floaters can give your vision the appearance of looking through a dirty screen. While not blurry per se, parts of your vision become darkened and blocked.
It can appear as if there is something floating in your field of vision. If you see a floating mass in your vision, you may have retinopathy.
Retinopathy occurs when the blood vessels that surround your retina become damaged. As these blood vessels become damaged, they close off.
This can cause blood to leak onto your retina. This causes the dark spots you see in your vision. The name for these dark spots is “floaters.”
Sudden Vision Loss
If you experience sudden vision loss, it’s most likely not cataracts. Cataracts develop over time.
They impact your vision little by little over the course of several years or even decades. They do not usually cause a sudden and drastic loss of vision.
Glaucoma
Eye conditions such as glaucoma can, in fact, cause sudden vision loss. Glaucoma can even cause permanent blindness.
Vision loss from cataracts can be restored, while any vision loss due to glaucoma is irreversible.
Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions triggered by the buildup of pressure inside your eye. Fluid runs through your eye via passageways.
When one of these passageways becomes blocked, pressure builds up at the site of the blockage. This pressure affects your optic nerve. This can be incredibly painful and can cause a rapid loss of vision.
You should call your eye doctor right away if you experience a sudden and drastic loss of vision. This is more concerning if it’s accompanied by eye pain.
You will likely need glaucoma surgery and treatment.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration can also cause vision problems like the ones caused by cataracts. These include:
- Partial loss of vision
- Blurred vision
- Wavy vision
- Distorted vision
- Loss of clarity in vision, especially in dim light
While these symptoms may be like cataracts, macular degeneration is caused by damage to your retina. Cataracts occur when there is clouding on the lens of the eye.
Macular degeneration can develop rapidly, with symptoms worsening quickly. Cataracts will develop slowly, and the symptoms will worsen over time.
Worried about the health of your eyes? The best defense against vision loss is having regularly scheduled eye exams.
They are the only way to diagnose eye conditions and diseases. Schedule yours today with Pinke Eye Center in Shelton, CT!
