Early cataracts can be monitored or treated, depending on how much they affect your daily activities and how quickly they are progressing.
When early cataracts are usually monitored
Mild lens changes alone are not a reason to rush into surgery.
- Good, comfortable vision for driving, reading, and work with current glasses
- Only occasional mild glare or blur that you can easily adapt to
- No safety‑critical tasks that demand sharper vision right now
- Other medical issues that make immediate surgery less attractive
- Regular check‑ups planned to watch for change
When early surgery might be considered
In some cases, treating earlier can be sensible.
- Clear impact on work, driving standards, or independence despite “early” appearance
- Rapid progression seen over repeated visits
- Need for lens clarity to allow other retinal or glaucoma treatments
- Strong preference not to wait until vision is more significantly impaired
- Careful discussion of risks versus expected benefit at this stage
