How cataracts affect colours

Cataracts are a very common cause of blurred vision, especially from a certain age onwards. They occur when the crystalline lens (the eye’s “natural lens”) gradually becomes opaque. In addition to noticing that “everything is cloudier”, many people are surprised by a very specific change: colours no longer look the same.

What happens to colour when a cataract appears?

In a healthy eye, the crystalline lens is transparent and allows light to pass through to the retina quite faithfully. With cataracts, this lens becomes denser and may scatter or filter light, as if we were looking through misted or yellowish glass. The typical result is that vision loses its “vividness”.

The most common change: more yellowish or brownish tones

Over time, many cataracts acquire a yellowish colour (sometimes more brown). This “filter” means that less blue light reaches the inside of the eye. As a result:

• Blues may appear dull or even tend towards grey.
• Whites may look cream-coloured or “dirty”.
• In general, a warm dominance is perceived (yellows and browns).

This effect can be so gradual that the brain gets used to it and the patient does not clearly notice it until they compare it with the other eye (if the cataract is asymmetrical) or until after surgery.

Less contrast and greater difficulty distinguishing shades

In addition to the “yellowish” change, cataracts reduce contrast. This has a major impact on colour perception because, in real life, colours almost never appear in isolation: we see them in shadows, with reflections, under artificial light… With cataracts, it may happen that:

• It becomes difficult to distinguish similar shades (for example, navy blue vs. black, or beige vs. grey).
• Clothes or objects appear “flat”, as if they lacked intensity.
• In low-light environments, confusion between colours increases.

Glare: when light “washes out” colours

Another very typical symptom is glare, especially from car headlights, screens or sunlight. Cataracts scatter light inside the eye and generate halos or “bright spots” that make the image lose definition. When there is glare, colours may appear even more desaturated, as if the light were “washing them out”.

Does colour perception recover after surgery?

In most cases, yes. Cataract surgery replaces the opaque crystalline lens with a transparent intraocular lens. Many people report that, after surgery, colours become clearer and brighter again, and that whites “go back to being white”. Sometimes the change is perceived immediately; in other cases, the brain needs a few days to adapt.

If you notice that colours look dull or yellowish, or that you find it difficult to distinguish shades (especially together with blurred vision or glare), it is advisable to have an ophthalmological check-up. Understanding these changes helps to recognise the symptoms and make decisions calmly.

Dr Elena Barraquer, ophthalmologist at Barraquer Ophthalmology Centre