June is Cataract Awareness Month: See the Signs and Protect Your Sight!

June is Cataract Awareness Month: See the Signs and Protect Your Sight!

Posted on Jun.10, 2025, under Educational

June is Cataract Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about cataracts—a leading cause of vision loss in the United States. Although cataracts may be one of the most common causes of vision loss, it is also one of the most treatable.

According to Prevent Blindness “an estimated 20.5 million Americans aged 40 years and older have cataracts in one or both eyes.” So, whether you’re in your 40s or enjoying your golden years, understanding cataracts is essential for maintaining good eye health. Early detection and intervention play a crucial role in preventing blindness.

Cataract Awareness Month

What are Cataracts:

A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil and is normally transparent. In a healthy eye, the lens focuses light on the retina, resulting in clear vision. As we age, proteins in the old cells in our eye’s lens can clump together and block that light, resulting in cloudy vision.

Signs and Symptoms:

Cataracts can develop slowly, making symptoms easy to overlook. Following are some of the more common signs and symptoms to be on the lookout for:

  • Blurry or cloudy vision
  • Light sensitivity
  • Difficulty seeing in low light or at night
  • Glare or halos around lights (especially at night)
  • Double vision in one eye
  • Colors appear duller or yellowish
  • Frequent changes in prescription for glasses or contacts

Possible Risk Factors Include:

  • Prolonged exposure to sunlight (UV rays)
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • High blood pressure
  • Family history of cataracts
  • Long-term steroid use
  • Eye injuries
  • Smoking

Cataract Treatment: Clear Vision is Possible

The good news is that cataracts are highly treatable. Cataract surgery is usually an outpatient surgical procedure, and recovery time can be quick. Full recovery from cataract surgery typically takes 4-6 weeks, during which time people can expect to see significant improvements.

It is worth noting that even with cataract surgery, some people may still experience low vision due to other underlying conditions. If this is the case, there are assistive magnification devices that can help you get the most out of your vision! Some of these devices include:

  • Pebble HD portable hand-held magnifier (see menus, labels, price tags)
  • Amigo portable magnifier (read magazines, mail, menus, street signs)
  • Merlin mini foldable desktop magnifier (read books, write, enjoy hobbies, magnify objects at a short distance)
  • DaVinci Pro desktop magnifier with text-to-speech (read small print or let DaVinci Pro read it for you, enjoy hobbies, magnify objects at a short distance)

Help Spread the Word by Sharing this Blog or Posting it on Your Socials!

Cataract Awareness Month is the perfect time to encourage friends and family members to schedule an eye exam. By staying informed and proactive, we can help prevent vision loss and enjoy a good quality of life.