Diagnosis of Cataracts

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA

The only way to find a cataract is with an eye exam. A doctor who treats eyes will look at your lens. Other tests look at the structure and health of the eye. A full eye exam will have:

A visual acuity test —This eye chart test measures how well you see at distances. Your eyesight may also be tested under low contrast or glare.
Dilated eye exam —The doctor gives you special eye drops to widen your pupil. This lets the doctor see the lens and the structures of the back of the eye.
Slit lamp exam —This is an exam of the eye using a microscope that magnifies the eye.
Tonometry —This is a test to measure fluid pressure inside the eye (too much pressure may be a sign of glaucoma).

References:

Cataract. American Optometric Association website. Available at: https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/cataract?sso=y. Accessed February 8, 2019.

Cataracts in adults. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116240/Cataracts-in-adults. Updated August 16, 2018. Accessed February 8, 2019.

Facts about cataract. National Eye Institute (NEI) website. Available at: https://nei.nih.gov/health/cataract/cataract_facts. Updated September 2015. Accessed February 8, 2019.

Visual acuity test: performing. EBSCO Nursing Reference Center website. Available at: https://www.ebscoh.... Updated February 16, 2018. Accessed February 11, 2019.

What are cataracts? American Academy of Ophthalmology website. Available at: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-are-cataracts. Updated November 9, 2018. Accessed February 9, 2019.

Last reviewed December 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review BoardJames P. Cornell, MD
Last Updated: 2/8/2019

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