If you’re over 60 and your vision has gotten blurry or cloudy, you may have cataracts. It’s a common condition in older adults, and it can be treated by your eye doctor.

Cataracts usually form slowly. You may not know you have them until they start to block light. Then, you might notice:

• Vision that’s cloudy, blurry, foggy, or filmy
• Nearsightedness (in older people)
• Changes in the way you see color
• Problems driving at night (glare from oncoming headlights, for example)
• Problems with glare during the day
• Double vision in the affected eye
• Trouble with eyeglasses or contact lenses not working well

If you have a cataract, that doesn’t always mean you need surgery. You may not even notice any change in your vision. Some people who have this condition see just fine if they wear prescription glasses, use a magnifying lens, or rely on brighter lighting.

But as cataracts grow, they can cause more symptoms. You could have dim or blurred vision. You may also have double vision when you look at things through the eye with the cataract. These problems can make it hard to read, work on a computer, and do anything else that calls for clear eyesight.

You may have poor night vision and find it harder to drive when it’s dark. You may be sensitive to glare from headlights. People with advanced cataracts can even fail the vision part of a driver’s test.

You’ll be awake for the procedure, but your doctor will numb your eye with medicine, so you won’t feel pain. They may also give you medication to help you relax.

The surgery usually takes well under an hour. Your surgeon will make a tiny cut in the front of your eye, sometimes with the help of a laser. Through this, they’ll put in a small tool to break up the cataract and gently suction it out.

Next, they’ll put in the new lens, which is made of plastic, silicone, or acrylic, and close the cut.

You won’t need to stay overnight at the hospital, but you’ll need someone to drive you home.

If you have cataracts in both eyes, you’ll probably get two separate surgeries, typically a few weeks apart. This gives the first eye a chance to heal.

Side effects are rare from cataract surgery, but some things that could happen are:

Eye infection or swelling
Bleeding
Retinal detachment — the breaking away of a layer of tissue at the back of your eye that senses light
Drooping eyelid
Temporary rise in eye pressure 12-24 hours after surgery

• For a few days after surgery, your eye may itch or feel sore. During this time, you may also have some tearing and find it hard to see well in bright light.

  Your doctor will give you eyedrops to prevent infection. You’ll need to take it easy for a few days. Driving will be off-limits, and you shouldn’t bend over, pick up heavy things, or put any pressure on your eye.

  For the first week, your doctor will likely suggest you wear an eye shield while you sleep. This protects the site of your surgery so your eye can heal. If you’re in pain or you feel your eye isn’t healing like it should, tell your doctor right away.

  After 8 weeks, your eye should be fully healed. About 90% of people see better after cataract surgery. But don’t expect your vision to be perfect. You may still need to wear glasses or contacts.