Cataract Symptoms: Blur, Glare, Dimming and Faded Colours
By Pauline Driscoll | Medically reviewed by Mr Lewis Pereira, FRCOphth
Published April 8, 2026 · Last reviewed April 24, 2026 · 2 min read
Key takeaways
- Cataract symptoms come on slowly: blurred or misty vision, glare and haloes around lights, and worsening night vision.
- Colours look faded and yellowed as the clouding lens browns, so whites and blues lose their vividness.
- Many people change their glasses more often, then find new lenses no longer help.
- A temporary improvement in near vision, sometimes called second sight, can occur before vision worsens again.
- Because the change is gradual, many people do not realise how much sight they have lost until it is measured.
Cataract symptoms come on slowly and include blurred or misty vision, increasing glare and haloes around lights, dimming and faded yellowed colours, and worsening night vision1. Because the clouding builds gradually over months to years, many people do not realise how much sight they have lost until it is measured at a sight test2.
These symptoms are the everyday face of the condition described in what is a cataract. If they sound familiar, the next steps are understanding what causes cataracts and reading about cataract surgery, the only proven treatment.
Blurred, misty and dimming vision
The core symptom is blurred, dim and washed-out vision that no longer sharpens with clean glasses2. As the lens clouds, less light reaches the retina, so the world looks dimmer and softer, as if a fine mist has settled over everything.
This was the symptom that finally sent me to the optician. My sight had dimmed so slowly that I had turned up every light in the house and stopped reading in the evenings without ever quite deciding to. It was only when good daylight no longer helped that I accepted something had changed, and both eyes were found to have cataracts.
Glare, haloes and night vision
A clouding lens scatters light, so bright sources spread into glare and haloes1. Oncoming headlights, low sun and bright shop lighting become uncomfortable, and night vision worsens noticeably2.
For many people this is the symptom that bites hardest, because it makes night driving difficult or frightening. Our piece on driving after cataract surgery covers how this usually improves once the cataract is treated, and glare and haloes after cataract surgery explains the difference between cataract glare and lens-related effects afterwards.
Faded colours and second sight
As the lens browns and yellows, colours look faded and less vivid, and whites take on a yellow tint1. The change is so gradual that most people only notice it in reverse, when whites look bright and blues vivid again after surgery.
A curious extra symptom is second sight: a temporary improvement in near vision as the changing lens shifts the eye’s focus, sometimes briefly reducing the need for reading glasses3. It does not last, and vision worsens again as the cataract matures.
Why symptoms creep up unnoticed
Cataracts usually progress slowly, over months to years, so the brain adapts and the loss is easy to miss4. Many people change their glasses more often, then reach the point where new lenses no longer help.
This is exactly why regular sight tests matter: an optometrist can measure the change and confirm a cataract long before you would notice the full extent yourself. Surgery is then offered based on how much your sight affects daily life, not on how cloudy the lens looks4. If symptoms are limiting you, read when to have cataract surgery.
References
- Cataract symptoms, American Academy of Ophthalmology. ↩
- Cataract surgery, NHS. ↩
- Understanding cataracts: patient information, Royal College of Ophthalmologists. ↩
- Cataracts in adults: management (NG77), NICE. ↩
Common questions
What are the first signs of a cataract?
The first signs are usually subtle: vision that is slightly blurred or misty, more noticeable glare from car headlights or bright sun, and colours that look a little duller or yellowed. Many people also find they are changing their glasses prescription more often than before. Because these changes are gradual, the very first signs are easy to put down to tiredness or dirty glasses.
Why do cataracts cause glare and haloes?
The clouding lens scatters incoming light rather than focusing it cleanly on the retina, so bright lights spread out into glare and haloes. This is why oncoming headlights, low sun and bright shop lighting become uncomfortable, and why night driving often becomes difficult. Glare is one of the most common reasons people finally seek help for a cataract.
Do cataracts affect colour vision?
Yes. As the lens browns and yellows, colours look faded and less vivid, and whites can take on a yellowish tint. People often only realise how much colour they had lost after cataract surgery, when whites suddenly look bright and blues look vivid again. The colour change is gradual, so it is rarely noticed day to day.
What is second sight with cataracts?
Second sight is a temporary improvement in near or reading vision that some people notice as a cataract develops, because the changing lens shifts the eye's focus. It can mean briefly needing reading glasses less, but it does not last; vision worsens again as the cataract matures. It is a quirk of the condition, not a sign the cataract is improving.
Are cataracts painful?
No. Cataracts are not painful and do not make the eye red or irritated. They affect the clarity of vision, not comfort. If you have eye pain, redness or sudden vision loss, that points to a different problem and needs prompt assessment, because those are not features of a simple cataract.
How quickly do cataract symptoms get worse?
Cataracts usually progress slowly, over months to years, which is why symptoms creep up so quietly. Some cataracts, particularly those linked with diabetes or steroids, can advance faster. There is no fixed rate, and surgery is offered based on how much your sight affects daily life rather than on how cloudy the lens looks.
Written by Pauline Driscoll. Medically reviewed by Mr Lewis Pereira, FRCOphth.
Our guides are written from personal experience and reviewed by a qualified clinician for accuracy. Read our editorial policy.
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