is it normal to see statbusts around lights with lots of glare with glasses

[mango_peach]

I rang my optometrist and he said I have to have a checkup he said. I will not have a cataract because I had a checkup last year and it takes years for cataracts to affect your vision, what can it be for  could it be because of myopia -5.00 in both eyes and  I can see rainbows and huge amounts of glare and starbusts around lights, I'm really worried

[SoftwareDeveloper]

Dry eye seems like the most likely issue, which can cause glare and halos,  but I'm not sure if I'd seen it mentioned as causing rainbows and halos. I know there are a number of other causes for such things, I'll let the doctor or others comment on them since I hadn't looked into it.

Since a quick check of your profile shows you say you are 16, if thats accurate then the odds are very low its a cataract. In theory its possible, they can happen at any age, but mostly  it would be due to some risk factor you would be aware of, like if you've had some sort of eye trauma or  had to take steroids for some other condition.

  I'll note that at least glare issues are common (whether they indicate a problem of concern I'll let the doctor or others address), this mentions their frequency

http://www.envisionmagazine.ca/special-contact-lenses-can-help-avoid-car-accidents/
"The study, titled Needs, Symptoms, Incidence, Global Eye Health Trends (NSIGHT), surveyed 3,800 spectacle and contact lens-corrected subjects, 15 to 65 years of age, from seven countries (China, Korea, Japan, France, Italy, United Kingdom and the U.S.) to better understand the eye-related symptoms that vision-corrected patients experience. The NSIGHT data provided valuable information on how often patients experience halos and glare and the degree to which they found them bothersome.

About half of the spectacle and contact lens wearers surveyed reported suffering from the symptoms of halos (52 per cent and 56 per cent, respectively) and glare (47 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively) more than three times a week. More than four of five patients who experienced these symptoms found them bothersome (84 per cent and 89 per cent for halo and glare, respectively). "

  I will note for the benefit of others who might read the thread, that cataracts vary quite a bit in how quickly they develop, its merely that at her age its unlikely. It is possible to have a problem cataract appear even if someone had a checkup a year ago (though its very unlikely in your case). Normal age related cataracts usually take many years to develop, and the average cataract surgery patient is in their 70s.  However eye trauma  and other non-age related causes may cause them to develop more rapidly. In my case I had no risk factors,  so it may have been merely a very early age related cataract (even 49 being very early for it), and yet the  cataract  only took 3.5 months to bring best corrected vision from 20/25 down to 20/60 in that eye.  (I was trying new contacts, which is why in followups the optometrist noticed  something was changing quickly).

[SoftwareDeveloper]

typo correction: I'm not sure if I'd seen dry eye mentioned as causing rainbows and starbursts, I had seen references to it causing halos.

[mango_peach]

Yeah i get it but I was kinda hurt on that eye by a tennis ball so could that have started the  cataract ?? It happened the ame day I got hurt right and then its been like tht for two days and only improves a teeny teeny bit with glasses right so could it be that I need a glases prescription change or could it be cataract

[SoftwareDeveloper]

You neglected to mention the eye trauma, but I imagine there are temporary conditions that eye trauma can cause, just like elsewhere on the body we get minor bruises and things that heal.  So I'd suggest being optimistic that the odds are its nothing serious, merely because most things aren't serious. There is a common analogy regarding medical issues:  "When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses not zebras", simple issues are more likely, however its best to play it safe to be sure.  Its unlikely its something like a cataract, merely possible.

If you had an eye trauma and are having eye symptoms afterwards, it makes sense to have an eye doctor check on it if possible just to be sure its ok, if nothing else to reassure you. Perhaps the doctor who often posts here will check in and have more information and suggest its not necessary, but I suspect    its likely  best for someone to actually examine your eye. Many high volume optometrists like at chain places take walk-ins if you are stressed about waiting (oops, though perhaps not at this hour, or on Easter Sunday). They can  likely deal with any issues, or  refer you to an   MD ophthalmologist eye doctor if it seems needed.

[JohnHaganMD]

Cataracts do not necessarily take years to develop then can develop in a matter of minutes to hours after some types of injuries or metabolic problems. Just make an apt and go in to see your optometrist. By far a more common cause would be a change in your glasses RX perhaps you might have developed some astigmatism which is not a disease.

[mango_peach]

So do you think its a cataract I'm not having blurry vision or anything

[mango_peach]

And I'm only 15

[JohnHaganMD]

I think you need to relax and discuss this some time in the coming weeks with your ophthalmologist or optometrist.  Deep breath. Step back from the keyboard and relax and enjoy Easter Sunday.