Scared I might have cataracts at the age of 31

[Jordan85]

Hello there,

I've been free of worry from my visual issues for a couple of months now - mainly because I forgot about them after getting a blood test for diabetes which came back clear and having a doctor check my eyes in September, numerous visits to the opticians throughout the year since February.

Now with the darker evenings I'm noticing my issues more - mainly the halo glow/soft globe around streetlights and car headlights which looks something like this - http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=45678.0;attach=169 23;image

I was diagnosed with astigmatisms in both eyes in Feb and I suffer from ghosting of white text on dark backgrounds, starbursts around points of light (most noticeable on single LED dots like the Apple TV white dot to signal it's on, the green LED light on my Mac charger) and the halos around streetlights which I'm not sure if they've always been like this or they're getting worse.

I've got myself worked up thinking it's cataracts or the early onset of them as from time to time when working at my computer I'll feel a little blurriness that I'll need to blink or rub my eye slightly to resolve. Would cataracts always be there? i.e Should early cataracts disappear with blinking? This page has me worries (the last point about blinking to clear vision) - http://www.cataracteye.com/symptoms.html

Agh, I'm so annoyed that I'm slipping back into worry, I was doing so well.

Thank you for listening.

[.Poppy.]

It honestly sounds like a case of dry eyes to me, and that is by far a more likely culprit.

Do you wear contacts at all?

If you had cataracts I'd think a doctor would have picked up on them, especially as you've been several times. You're also not in an at-risk group.

I have several annoying visual disturbances, including halos, but my eye doc says it's normal. I think mine are due to my contacts + my dry eyes.

[Fishmanpa]

Highly, highly unlikely based on a normal eye exams (sans needing glasses). Most likely a result of hyper-focusing on normal everyday eye phenomenon that most people tend to ignore/not even notice (like floaters).

Positive thoughts

[SLA]

Do not worry about "blinking to clear vision"

That is what blinking is for. If we didn't need it we wouldn't blink.

As fishmanpa says I think you are hyper-focused on the natural processes and expecting too much from your eyes!!

[Jordan85]

Thanks folks, that's very reassuring to hear - I'm hoping it's dry eyes although back around March/April I got tested in the opticians for dry eye and it came up fine - it was in the morning when I normally don't have the blinking to clear issue though.

Do you folks reckon it's safe for me to stop worrying about the halos then? It's the one I'm finding hardest to ignore - they don't make it difficult driving or anything like that, just annoying knowing I can see a misty glow around the lights when others potentially can't :(

[randomforeigner]

I have astigmatism, it's very annoying (but not so much so as to seek help). I recognize this thing with ghosting of white text on dark backgrounds, and in my case dark text on white backgrounds too, and starbursts around points of light. As for the blurriness, I find that an extra set of data glasses help. My dad had an operation for cataract in his late sixties or early seventies. A colleague had one in his early sixties. On both occasions everything turned out well. It's annoying but not the end of the world. (Very annoying.)

[swajj]

My HA started with worrying about my eyes. Make an appointment with an eye specialist. I made many visits to my optometrist and never walked out feeling confident that his opinion about my eyes being fine was correct. However, when I went to the specialist and was given the same opinion I walked out totally reassured. You will hear from many here that reassurance seeking should be avoided and perhaps it should. But from where I sit going to the eye expert is more reassuring than going to the person who prescribes glasses.

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btw I don't think there is anything wrong with your eyes. I now visit the eye specialist once a year even though my eyes are fine. We talk a lot about eye health because he knows that about my HA. He told me that cataracts can start to form around the age of 30 but most people do not need to get them removed until they are in their 60's. It is a very slow process and there is no way that they are affecting your vision. If you are like me then the thing that is affecting your vision is you focusing on your vision. Before you became anxious your eyes did what they are doing now but you didn't notice. You notice everything to do with your vision now. And to make things worse anxiety can cause blurred vision. It's a vicious circle.