Can Cataracts Cause Headaches?

Cataracts don't directly cause headaches, but they can lead to eye strain that triggers headaches. When cataracts make your vision blurry or cloudy, your eyes work harder to focus, causing strain that can result in tension headaches. If you're experiencing frequent headaches alongside vision problems like blurred sight, sensitivity to light, or difficulty seeing at night, cataracts could be the underlying cause.

While cataracts themselves don't cause headaches, the vision problems they create often do. When cataracts develop in your eye's lens, they scatter light and make images appear blurry or hazy. Your eyes naturally try to compensate by working harder to focus, similar to how you might squint to see something more clearly.

This extra effort puts strain on several parts of your visual system. The muscles around your eyes become tense from constant focusing attempts, and this tension can spread to surrounding muscles in your forehead, temples, and neck. The result is often a dull, aching headache that feels similar to tension headaches caused by stress or poor posture.

The headaches associated with cataracts typically develop gradually as the cataracts worsen. You might notice they occur more frequently when you're doing activities that require clear vision, such as reading, using a computer, or driving. Many people find their headaches are worse at the end of the day when their eyes have been working hard all day to compensate for poor vision.

Headaches from eye strain are just one symptom that can develop alongside cataracts. Understanding the full range of cataract symptoms helps you identify whether your headaches might be vision-related:

• Blurred or cloudy vision that gradually worsens
• Increased sensitivity to bright lights and glare
• Difficulty seeing clearly at night or in dim lighting
• Colours appearing faded, yellowed, or less vibrant
• Double vision in one eye
• Frequent changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions
• Halos appearing around lights, especially at night
• Need for brighter lighting when reading or doing close work

If you're experiencing headaches along with several of these vision symptoms, cataracts could be the underlying cause. The combination of eye strain headaches with progressive vision changes is particularly significant and warrants professional evaluation.

You should schedule an eye examination if you're experiencing headaches alongside vision changes, even if the changes seem minor. Early detection of cataracts allows for better monitoring and treatment planning.

Seek prompt medical attention if you develop sudden, severe headaches with vision problems, as this could indicate other serious conditions. However, if your headaches are gradual and accompanied by slowly worsening vision, this pattern is more consistent with cataract-related eye strain.

Don't assume that headaches are just from stress or computer use if you're also noticing changes in your vision. An eye care professional can determine whether cataracts or other eye conditions are contributing to your symptoms. They can also rule out other causes of headaches that might be unrelated to your vision.

Regular eye examinations are particularly important if you're over 60, have diabetes, take medications like steroids, or have a family history of cataracts. These factors increase your risk of developing cataracts earlier.

If cataracts are causing eye strain and headaches, addressing the underlying vision problem typically resolves the headache issue. For early-stage cataracts that aren't significantly impacting daily activities, simple measures can help reduce eye strain:

• Ensure adequate lighting when reading or doing close work
• Take regular breaks during visually demanding tasks
• Update your glasses prescription if needed
• Use anti-glare coatings on glasses
• Consider computer glasses with blue light filtering

When cataracts progress to the point where they significantly impact daily activities, cataract surgery becomes the most effective treatment. This outpatient procedure removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with a clear artificial lens, typically eliminating both the vision problems and associated headaches.

Most people notice that headaches related to eye strain disappear completely after successful cataract surgery, as their eyes no longer need to work hard to focus properly.

Find out about the 3 types of cataract surgery in this article and checkout our handy guide for those considering surgery.

If you're experiencing headaches along with vision changes, don't wait for symptoms to worsen. Early evaluation can help determine whether cataracts are the cause and what treatment options are available.

Ready to find an eye specialist? Search our platform now to compare qualified ophthalmologists and optometrists in your area.

Taking action early can help prevent the progression of both vision problems and associated headaches, improving your overall quality of life.