cataracts are detected during a medical eye examination by an eye-care professional. the abnormal lens can be seen using a variety of specialized viewing instruments. using a variety of tests your doctor is able to tell how much a cataract may be affecting your vision. usual eye tests include testing visual acuity glare sensitivity color vision contrast sensitivity and a thorough examination of all other parts of the eye. your doctor will make sure vision loss is not due to other common eye problems including diabetes glaucoma or macular degeneration. most cataracts associated with aging develop slowly and many patients may not notice visual loss until it is fairly advanced. despite being told that you have cataracts it is not imperative to have surgery to remove them until they begin to affect your vision. the development of cataracts is unpredictable; some cataracts remain small and never progress to the point where they affect vision and require treatment while others progress more quickly. thus the decision and timing to proceed with cataract surgery is individualized for each patient. your doctor will be able to tell you how much of your vision loss is due to cataracts and the type of visual recovery that may be expected if surgery is chosen.
how are cataracts diagnosed?