Blurred, cloudy or filmy vision
The lens scatters light as it clouds, so the world looks as if seen through a smeared window or a thin fog. New glasses help at first and then stop helping. Many patients describe cleaning their glasses repeatedly, or assuming the lighting in a room is poor.
Glare, halos and night driving
Scattered light is most troublesome against darkness. Oncoming headlights flare into starbursts, streetlights wear halos, and the contrast needed to see the road edge drops. Difficulty driving at night is often the first symptom that brings a patient to an evaluation, and it is the one most reliably improved by surgery.
Faded or yellowed color
A nuclear cataract yellows the lens slowly, and because both eyes change together, the shift goes unnoticed until after surgery, when patients are surprised by how blue and white the world is. Whites look cream; dark blues and blacks become hard to tell apart.
Needing more light, and frequent prescription changes
Reading needs a brighter lamp than it used to. The prescription changes more often, typically toward more nearsightedness, and some patients find their near vision temporarily improves, which is sometimes called second sight; it does not last. A prescription that keeps changing every year in an adult over 60 is often a cataract.
Double vision or ghosting in one eye
Irregular clouding can split light into a doubled or ghosted image that persists when the other eye is covered. Double vision that disappears when either eye is closed has different causes and should be assessed promptly.
What cataracts do not cause
Cataracts usually do not cause pain or redness, and they do not cause sudden vision loss, flashes or floaters. Any of those needs a same-day assessment for other causes. And because these symptoms overlap with macular degeneration, glaucoma and dry eye, a cataract evaluation always examines the whole eye rather than assuming the cataract explains everything.
When to have an evaluation
When any of the symptoms above is affecting your life: driving, reading, work, recognizing faces, or simply enjoying color. There is no advantage in waiting for a cataract to 'ripen'; earlier cataracts are easier to remove. If the cataract is early and not limiting you, the evaluation will say so and set a date to re-check.
Is this right for your eyes?
Nothing on this page is a diagnosis. Whether this is what is affecting your vision is decided by a full examination at one of our 4 offices: Pasadena, Huntington Beach, Woodland Hills and Beverly Hills.
About this content: This page was written with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed for medical accuracy by Dr. Bavand Youssefzadeh, DO. It is general information, not medical advice, and does not replace an eye examination. Individual results vary. Read our medical disclaimer.
