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Evaluation and Diagnosis

Patients with cataracts will usually note decreased, blurry or even dull vision. They may experience glare from lights or loss of color saturation.

The diagnosis of a cataract is typically done with a slit-lamp exam. The eye is examined with a special microscope to evaluate any changes in the natural clarity of the lens. It is important that the entire eye is examined, including the retina, to make sure that there are no other diseases or abnormalities that might be causing visual problems.

In some circumstances, additional tests are done to evaluate the vision in a patient affected by a cataract. These tests include:

• Potential acuity estimation
  

  Laser interferometry and the potential acuity meter are two methods of determining the visual potential of an eye before cataract surgery. These tests can be useful in patients affected by cataracts and other ocular diseases. For example, if a patient has macular degeneration and a cataract, such tests can help estimate what portion of the visual loss is due to the macular degeneration versus the cataract. This will help the patient and physician estimate the potential benefit of undergoing surgery. The potential acuity meter is the more commonly used test. It projects a vision chart through the pupil and around any cataract opacities, directly to the retina.

• Glare testing

  Cataract patients often complain of significant visual problems with glare. Even though their vision may be functional in standard lighting conditions, they may have more significant visual disabilities when affected by brightly lit environments or lights. A classic example is loss of vision due to glare when approaching oncoming car headlights while driving at night. An eye care professional may want to assess the visual function under glare conditions to better document how the vision has been affected by a cataract.

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