# At What Age Does Cataract Occur?

Source page: https://www.kudretgozistanbul.com/en/blog/cataract-treatments/at-what-age-does-cataract-occur

**Author:** Kudret Eye İstanbul | **Medical Approval:** Op. Dr. Mehmet Ali Özdil | **Date:** 2026-09-11

> **Summary:** Cataract is a clouding of the eye's normally transparent lens that can appear at any age, but becomes markedly more common after the age of 55-60; by the age of 80, more than half of people have cataract or have had cataract surgery. Untreated it can lead to permanent sight loss, and its only definitive treatment is surgery.

## Quick Facts
- **More common from:** age 55-60
- **By age 80:** more than half of people have cataract or have had surgery
- **Only treatment:** surgery (most often phacoemulsification)
- **Operation duration:** approximately fifteen to twenty minutes per eye
- **Return to normal life:** within a few days

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## What Is Cataract?
The lens behind the pupil loses its transparency as protein builds up in it, turns cloudy and obstructs vision, while also disturbing the lens structure. Cataract may be congenital, age-related or caused by external factors at a younger age.

## Who Is at Risk?
Diabetes, corticosteroid use, eye trauma and metabolic disorders raise the risk in childhood or young adulthood. Listed causes:
- Age, congenital factors and genetic predisposition
- Eye damage and injuries; previous eye surgery
- Diabetes and high blood pressure
- Smoking and alcohol
- Excessive sunlight; intense UV-B exposure (e.g. welders, mountaineers); radiation in cancer treatment
- Long-term systemic, unsupervised or high-dose topical corticosteroid use. Steroids used for uveitis (inflammation of the uvea) raise the risk; long-term corticosteroid use is described as one of the greatest external factors.
- Other environmental factors

## Symptoms
- Blurred vision, a sense of a veil over the eye
- Glare and haloes around lights (among the most distinctive features)
- Strong sensitivity to light and to changes in light
- Difficulty seeing at distance and near, reading, watching TV, using a phone, driving, and in low light
- Marked decline in night vision (night blindness)
- Frequent need to change the prescription
- Eye strain, headache
- Loss of depth perception
- Colours shifting towards yellow and brown, or looking faded

These symptoms also occur in other eye conditions, so an examination is always needed. Advanced cataract can lead to complete loss of sight.

## Types of Cataract
- **Congenital cataract:** present from birth; the lens becomes completely opaque. Infections and medicines during pregnancy can cause it.
- **Age-related cataract:** more common after 55-60; vision declines gradually and can be confused with other problems, so routine eye check-ups should not be neglected.

## Diagnosis
Dilated pupil examination with a slit lamp and, where necessary, densitometry or OCT imaging. The earlier the diagnosis, the more straightforward the treatment.

## Cataract Surgery
- The damaged lens is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens.
- Most common method: phacoemulsification (phaco): the opaque lens is broken up with an ultrasonic probe and aspirated, then a foldable artificial intraocular lens is placed.
- Lenses allow one, two or all three focal distances; the choice is made before surgery.
- Approximately fifteen to twenty minutes per eye; return to normal life within a few days.
- Drops regularly for the first month; avoid heavy lifting, rubbing the eye and dusty environments.

## References
- Cataracts, NEI
- What Are Cataracts?, AAO
- Cataracts in adults, NHS