A cataract occurs when the lens inside your eye becomes cloudy. Things linked to clouding include:

• Aging (age-related cataracts)
• Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, such as from sunlight, tanning booths, or sunlamps
• Diabetes: especially when the blood sugar levels are above the safe range, diabetes causes changes in the eye that can result in cataracts
• Disease inside the eye such as glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, retinal detachment or long-term uveitis
• Long-term use of steroid medicines
• Frequent X-rays or radiation treatments to the head
• Family history (genetics) may cause the tendency to inherit and develop cataracts
• Vitrectomy: people who have had the vitreous gel removed from their eye (vitrectomy) have an increased risk of cataracts
• Eye injury, though injury-related cataracts are rare, injury is a leading cause of cataracts in children
• Being born with cataracts (congenital): some children are born with the condition

Possible cataract causes include:

• A genetic fault inherited from the child’s parents that caused the lens to develop abnormally
• Certain genetic conditions – including Down’s syndrome
• Certain infections picked up by the mother during pregnancy – including rubella and chickenpox
• An injury to the eye after birth

At first, the cloudiness in your vision caused by a cataract may affect only a small part of the eye’s lens and you may be unaware of any vision loss. As the cataract grows larger, it clouds more of your lens and distorts the light passing through the lens. This may lead to more noticeable symptoms. Cataracts generally develop in both eyes, but not evenly. The cataract in one eye may be more advanced than the other, causing a difference in vision between eyes.

When to see a doctor:

Make an appointment for an eye exam if you notice any changes in your vision. If you develop sudden vision changes, such as double vision or flashes of light, sudden eye pain, or sudden headache, see our cataract surgeons in Billings right away. Contact The Eye Clinic Surgicenter at 406-252-6608 or theeyeclinicsurgicenter.com to schedule an eye exam.