Cataracts, a common problem as we age, are characterized by a clouding of the eye’s natural lens. But can cataracts cause headaches?
While cataracts themselves don’t directly trigger headaches, they can contribute to them. As your vision deteriorates due to cataracts, you may find yourself squinting and straining your eyes, leading to tension headaches.
Let’s explore the indirect ways cataracts can cause headaches, along with their symptoms, treatment options, and when it’s time to seek medical attention.
What Are Cataracts?
Cataracts are a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, and that clouding affects your vision. Millions of people around the world have cataracts, and they’re a leading cause of blindness globally.
Recognizing the warning signs
Cataracts don’t always cause noticeable symptoms at first, but over time, you may experience:
- Blurry vision
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Light sensitivity
- Halos around lights
- Faded colors
- Frequent changes in your eyeglass or contact lens prescription
You might also notice that you’re having more trouble with fine print, reading, recognizing faces, or performing other everyday activities that require sharp vision.
Can cataracts cause headaches? The indirect connection
Cataracts themselves don’t directly cause headaches. However, the blurry vision associated with cataracts can lead to headaches indirectly.
Here’s how:
- Eye strain: When your vision is blurry, your eye muscles have to work harder to focus. This can lead to eye strain, which often triggers headaches.
- Squinting: People with cataracts often squint to try to see more clearly. Squinting puts extra strain on the facial muscles, which can also contribute to headaches.
- Light sensitivity: Cataracts can make your eyes more sensitive to light, which can be uncomfortable and bring on a headache.
Other issues related to cataracts can also play a role. Altered depth perception can cause disorientation and stress, which can lead to headaches. Plus, the general anxiety that comes with vision problems can be a contributing factor.
Finally, other conditions that sometimes occur alongside cataracts, like glaucoma or refractive errors, can also make headaches more likely.
What does the research say?
About 30% of people with advanced cataracts report experiencing headaches. But researchers have yet to establish any firm causation.
One study, published in The Journal of Headache and Pain (Benemei et al., 2008), described cases of people with chronic cluster headaches who also developed cataracts. Cluster headaches are intense, recurring headaches that occur in cycles, often affecting one side of the head. The study showed a correlation, but the authors did not suggest that cataracts cause cluster headaches.
It’s important to remember that correlation does not equal causation. Just because two conditions occur together doesn’t mean one caused the other.
Treatment Options for Cataracts
If your cataracts are causing you problems, you have several options for treatment, depending on the severity of your vision loss.
Non-Surgical Management (Early Stages)
In the early stages of cataract development, you may be able to manage your symptoms by:
- Getting new glasses or contacts
- Wearing anti-glare sunglasses
- Improving the lighting in your home and workplace
- Taking frequent breaks from visually intensive tasks
Cataract Surgery
When cataracts start to seriously impact your vision and quality of life, you may want to consider cataract surgery, which is extremely effective at restoring sight.
During cataract surgery, the clouded lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens.
The procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis and takes just 15 to 20 minutes.
Cataract surgery can dramatically improve your vision and reduce associated headaches, leading to a better quality of life.
When to seek care for cataracts, headaches, and vision changes
It’s important to catch cataracts early, so visit an ophthalmologist for a comprehensive eye exam if you notice any changes in your vision.
Be sure to tell your ophthalmologist about all your symptoms, including headaches.
If you’re diagnosed with cataracts, talk to a cataract surgeon about cataract surgery, which may improve your vision and alleviate any associated headaches.
Putting It All Together
Cataracts themselves don’t cause headaches, but the eye strain they cause can definitely trigger head pain. Early detection, proper eye care, and treatment can help you preserve your vision and reduce or eliminate headaches.
If you’re experiencing vision changes and headaches, see a healthcare professional to get the right diagnosis and treatment.