When it comes to vision, you want an experienced cataract surgeon on your care team. Otherwise, you run increased risk of side effects or complications. When deciding on surgery, you first want to weigh your symptoms. So one question you need to have answered is: can cataracts cause double vision?
Can Cataracts Cause Double Vision?
Cataracts (clouding of the eye’s lens) can cause a range of symptoms. Some are more noticeable, such as decreased clarity of vision. Others might be less noticeable or only happen on occasion.
Double vision, or diplopia, can indeed be caused by cataracts. While it is not a highly common symptom, it does happen to thousands of people every year.
How Do Cataracts Cause Double Vision?
To get technical, it is usually a cataract (singular) that causes double vision, rather than cataracts (plural). When a cataract affects only one eye, it creates an incongruity in the visual information presented to the brain. One eye may send normal visual data, but the other sends data distorted by the cataract.
The result can be double vision. We call this monocular, as the health of only one eye is actually affected. When one eye sends clouded visual data, it can create a ghosting or shadowing effect of objects.
When Does This Happen?
A unique aspect of this symptom is that it might not always be present. Instead, it tends to be most noticeable in two situations:
- When looking at things in bright light
- When looking at things up close
This happens because these two situations involve more intense visual stimuli. So the discrepancy between what each eye sees becomes more emphatic.
Is Double Vision Dangerous?
Yes, it can be. It shouldn’t cause any notable risk for most of the day. For example, reading a book or working on a computer are rather low stakes activities. It becomes an issue when engaged in higher-risk activities, such as:
- Driving a car or operating heavy machinery
- Using dangerous tools (e.g., sharp knives, woodworking tools)
- Playing sports (particularly contact sports)
How Do I Solve This Issue?
The only real solution for cataracts (even monocular cataracts) is surgery. While many home remedies flood the internet, none of them can effectively remove cataracts. Dietary advice and healthy practices can help prevent them, though. For example, quitting smoking is perhaps the best thing you can do to avoid cataracts. But once you have them, surgery is the only way forward.
The Good News
Cataract surgery is very safe, quick, and painless. It involves your surgeon removing the clouded lens and replacing it with an artificial one. In some cases, this artificial lens can be adjusted after surgery to further enhance your vision. Many people might think they need glasses or LASIK, but they really only need cataract surgery.
What Else Could Cause Double Vision?
A range of medical conditions can cause double vision. So it does not necessarily mean you have cataracts. Your best solution is to visit an eye doctor and have a thorough evaluation. They can then move forward with recommendations for treatment based on causes like:
- Neurological causes (stroke, brain tumor, migraine, nerve damage)
- Eye-related causes (strabismus, cataracts, refractive errors, muscle weakness)
- Medical conditions (thyroid eye disease, diabetes, injury, and more)
- Medication side effects (pause or switch medications as appropriate)
- Fatigue (yes, simply being tired can cause double vision)
Clearing Vision for Decades
At Advanced Eye Medical, Dr. Ghosheh and his team have been providing cataract surgery for years. As a leading eye surgeon, he has helped hundreds of patients achieve clear, healthy vision. Call today for a consultation and exam.