Question: I am a 50-year-old woman, and my vision is 20/20, but I have been diagnosed with posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) in both of my eyes. I was told it was unusual for someone of my age, especially since I’ve not used steroids over a long time. I have an irregular thyroid but was not prescribed medication. What causes PSC and what I should be doing?

Dr. Hibberd's Answer:
Cataracts are clouding or opaque areas that develop in the lens of our eyes that hinder the clarity and focusing of the lens as they advance. Unfortunately we have no effective medications (topical or oral or other) to prevent or hinder the progression of cataracts.
Medications, such as steroids are associated with premature cataract formation. Once present, most cataracts will slowly progress and when our vision (initially limited to blurring and halos around objects with light glare) is adversely affected enough, many patients resort to cataract removal. It is often performed as a simple outpatient procedure often coupled with the implantation of a prosthetic lens.