Cataracts

If cataracts affect your vision or daily life, our specialists offer advanced care and surgical options to help you see more clearly.

Cataracts occur when the clear lens inside your eye becomes cloudy, making vision look blurry, dim or hazy.

They usually develop slowly, with early signs including glare, halos or faded colors. Because changes happen gradually, many people don’t notice how much their vision has shifted until cataracts are already advanced.

As cataracts progress, everyday activities like reading, driving at night or seeing in bright sunlight can become more difficult. When that happens, surgery may be the most effective treatment.

At MU Health Care’s Mason Eye Clinic, our eye care specialists (ophthalmologists) use advanced imaging to diagnose cataracts and perform thousands of surgeries each year.

As part of an academic health system, they also teach and conduct research, giving you access to the latest advances in eye care.

Whether you need monitoring strategies for early-stage cataracts or treatment for advanced cataracts, we offer a full range of personalized care options to support your vision and health.

Cataract Care at MU Health Care

We personalize your cataract care using the most advanced diagnostic and surgical options in central Missouri.

Our team includes ophthalmologists, educators and researchers who work together to deliver complete care backed by the latest technology and clinical research.

Cataract Symptoms

Cataract symptoms often develop slowly, with subtle changes at first, followed by more noticeable issues as the condition worsens.

Common symptoms of cataracts include:

Blurry or cloudy vision
Colors looking faded or more yellow
Difficulty seeing at night or in low light, making driving difficult
Frequent changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions
Glare or halos around lights
Headaches or eye strain when focusing
Needing more light to read or focus up close
Sensitivity to bright light

When to Call Your Doctor

Cataracts in certain advanced stages can be harder to remove. An annual eye exam is one of the best ways to catch cataracts early and protect your long-term vision.

But if you’re between appointments and your symptoms are starting to make daily tasks harder, don’t wait — call your eye doctor.

What Causes Cataracts?

Cataracts happen when the clear lens of your eye becomes cloudy, making it harder to see clearly. Most cataracts develop with age, but other factors can increase your risk.

Common causes and risk factors for cataracts include:

Aging
Diabetes
Eye conditions like glaucoma or uveitis
Extended UV light exposure
Family history of cataracts
Long-term use of steroid medications
Past eye injury or surgery
Radiation exposure
Smoking

If you have a higher risk for cataracts, your ophthalmologist can discuss your options for both short-term care and long-term monitoring.

How We Diagnose Cataracts

We begin with a complete eye exam to assess your vision, evaluate cataract severity and gain a better understanding of your symptoms. We may perform several tests to diagnose cataracts or see their progression, such as:

Dilation exam: Allows your doctor to closely examine the lens and assess cataract progression.
Glare testing: Simulates bright lights or night driving conditions to measure how cataracts affect your vision.
Refraction and vision check: Identifies changes in your glasses prescription and checks overall visual clarity.

Imaging and Surgical Planning

If surgery is recommended, we’ll perform precise imaging and measurements to guide your surgical plan.

These may include:

Biometry and axial length measurements: Helps calculate the correct lens strength for surgery.
Corneal measurements: Assesses the shape of your cornea to create a personalized surgical plan.
Ocular coherence tomography (OCT): Checks the retina if other eye conditions are suspected.

We also discuss your vision goals, lifestyle and any other eye conditions before recommending treatment. We may also involve glaucoma or cornea specialists in your care plan.

How We Treat Cataracts

Cataract surgery is one of the most common and successful procedures in the U.S.

At MU Health Care, our ophthalmologists use advanced imaging and state-of-the-art surgical tools to deliver care that is personalized for your needs.

What to Expect from Cataract Surgery

We’ll remove the cloudy lens and replace it with a clear, artificial lens known as an intraocular lens (IOL) to help improve your vision. This outpatient procedure typically takes 10-15 minutes, and you may go home soon after.

Surgery is typically done one eye at a time, about a week apart. Scheduled follow-up visits happen the same day or the next day, with additional checks at one to three weeks.

Recovery is quick and you may be able to return to normal activities within one week.

Intraocular Lens Options

Your care team can provide recommendations on the lens that best fits your goals and lifestyle.

We offer all the most advanced options:

Astigmatism-correcting lenses: Help reduce or eliminate the need for glasses by addressing irregular corneal shapes.
Monofocal lenses (standard): Allow you to focus at one distance and are typically covered by insurance.
Monovision correction: This sets one eye for distance and the other for near vision — similar to individual contact lens prescriptions.
Multifocal lenses: Correct vision at multiple distances, helping reduce dependence on glasses.