Cataracts on both eyes, age or Pred or both?

[Thiago1396]

PMR diagnosed beginning May 2023, on 20mg pred, tapering to 15 currently and 12.5 from 1st September in planned. An eye test earlier this month for possible new specs, discovered early stages of cataracts in both eyes. Informed that NHS like me to operate on cataracts earlier than in the past and could be done within a year. I’m curious regarding possible Pred influence on my cataracts developing over a few months of use and if it has, could my cataracts develop faster with me remaining on Pred for foreseeable future?

[SnazzyD]

Pred can induce cataracts, see below link. Mine came on in 6 months but my optician said their progression was unpredictable and not to think the worst. That was about 4/5 years ago. Not only did they not get worse but there was a marginal improvement some time after I stopped Pred in 2020. At the time I was told they had to be quite a lot worse for them to be considered worth treating. I’m ok but night driving isn’t pleasant.

healthline.com/health/stero...

[Koalajane]

mine came on after 5 years of prednisolone. I have had them both done and my sight is so much better

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I've been on pred for 14 years and am over 70 now - first sign of cataracts mentioned last year and nothing I am aware of. They CAN appear and mature very quickly when you are on pred but since they presumably hadn't looked pre-pred, you can't know when they started, they may already have been there.

jinasc on this forum had cataracts just starting when she was put on pred for GCA, so very high doses. Her optician immediately advised variofocals as that was felt to slow their development and they have never got worse - and that was probably 15 years ago at least, I don't think there is a one size fits all answer, it's a case of wait and see.

[2013mayo]

I’ve had both eyes done, my cataracts came on after about 3-4 years on pred, they escalated so fast , I was having a lot of trouble with my eyes, my sight suddenly got much worse, I had my glasses prescription changed and within a month they had got worse again, because I was having eye problems I was going to eye hospital quite a lot, they booked me in for op straight away, I didn’t have to wait, I had one done first and then the second one done within a few weeks. It’s so strange waking up with perfect sight now, I’d always been short sighted before. Hope all goes well.

[montebello]

I've been on PRED for a year now, starting at 60 mg for GCA, and now down to 8 mg. My cataracts have gotten significantly worse over the last 6 months. But I don't want to put my body under any more stress than it already is, so I've opted to put off any surgeries till later.

[Bramble2000]

Cataracts can be caused by nutritional deficiency .

[Thiago1396 in reply to Bramble2000]

Not in my case, I’m certain!

[Ozziedays]

Mine developed very rapidly a few years before PMR, I wasn’t on any medication at all, age 59, just nature / genetics. As I have only one functioning eye I was blind as a bat within 2-3 months - not just unable to drive, falling off pavements as I couldn’t make out the step edge - and ended up getting it done privately due to NHS waiting times (pre Covid). A neighbour in excellent health has developed one at age 53 and another friend of otherwise very good health at 79. I know there is a link with pred but it could just be nature taking its course.

[Thiago1396 in reply to Ozziedays]

I agree they can develop for many reasons.