Headaches – Do cataracts cause headaches?

In general, cataracts themselves don’t cause headaches. 

In the early stages of cataracts, your vision won’t be affected very much. You may not even notice that you have cataracts for some time after they first appear. However, as your cataracts become more developed and your vision becomes increasingly clouded, your eyes may have to work harder to enable you to see things, and particularly read things, clearly. As a result, this extra effort – and the resultant strain it places on your eyes – may cause eye-strain related headaches. 

Also, people who suffered from migraines and headaches before they had cataracts could find that the additional strain placed on their eyes could lead to further or more regular headaches. 

Both these situations, though, are exacerbations of things that may already cause headaches, as opposed to cataracts causing headaches themselves. Whether or not you’ve had cataract surgery, if you experience new and severe headaches, we strongly advise you to see your doctor.