Cataract symptoms can fluctuate, so surgery may still be suitable if good and bad days are becoming more frequent or bothersome.
Common reasons for fluctuating symptoms
Changes in lighting and pupil size often alter how cataracts affect vision.
- Vision worse in dim light or bright sunlight than in soft, even lighting
- More trouble when tired, driving at night, or using back‑lit screens
- Variable glare from headlights or reflections
- Occasional “misty” episodes that clear again
- Underlying dry eye that temporarily worsens blur and can be treated
When fluctuating cataracts justify surgery
The pattern over time matters more than any single day.
- Bad days increasingly frequent or limiting driving and work
- Chart vision and lens appearance showing steady progression
- Other causes of fluctuation, such as unstable glasses prescription, excluded
- Realistic expectation that surgery will smooth out day‑to‑day variability
- Agreement on timing that fits your health and lifestyle
