When Life Gets Blurry, it’s Normal

A mostly age-related normal condition that is years in the making – cataracts. Around age 40, the proteins in the lens of your eye start to break down and clump together. This clump makes a cataract, a cloudy area on your eye’s lens. Over time, the cataract gets more severe and clouds more of the lens. 

Cataracts can make your vision blurry, hazy or less colorful. You may have trouble reading, driving at night, or find lamps, sunlight or headlights too bright because of the cataracts.  

There are steps to protect your eyes and delay cataracts: 

• Wear sunglasses and a hat with a brim to block the sun. 

• Quit smoking.  

• Eat healthy. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables – especially dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale and collard greens. 

• Get a dilated eye exam. If you’re age 60 or older, get a dilated eye exam at least once every two years. 

You can get cataracts in one eye or both eyes – but they can’t spread from one eye to the other.  

In addition to aging, your risk for cataracts goes up if you: 

• Have certain health problems, like diabetes 

• Smoke 

• Drink too much alcohol 

• Have a family history of cataracts 

• Have had an eye injury, eye surgery, or radiation treatment on your upper body 

• Have spent a lot of time in the sun 

• Take steroids (medicines used to treat a variety of health problems, like arthritis and rashes) 

You can get cataracts for other reasons – for example, after an eye injury or after surgery for another eye problem (like glaucoma).  

If or blurred vision is interfering with your daily living, talk with your doctor.