Cataracts are clouding of the eye's natural lens, affecting more than half of Americans over 80. Surgery to replace the clouded lens with an artificial one is safe, effective, and among the most common procedures in medicine. Research now focuses on preventing cataracts, improving artificial lenses, and treating rare forms that affect children.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing eye drops that might delay or dissolve cataracts, new artificial lens designs that correct multiple vision problems at once, laser techniques for lens removal, and treatments for posterior capsule opacification — the clouding that sometimes returns after surgery. Studies also examine genetic causes of childhood cataracts and ways to preserve vision when surgery must happen in infancy.
Cataract prevention drops
Lanosterol and other compounds are being tested to see if eye drops can dissolve or slow cataracts. If successful, drops could delay or eliminate the need for surgery in some people.
Advanced artificial lenses
New intraocular lenses correct astigmatism, near and far vision, and adjust focus like a natural lens. Trials test whether these multifocal and accommodating lenses improve quality of life compared to standard single-focus implants.
Pediatric cataract outcomes
Studies track children who had cataract surgery in infancy to understand how timing affects vision development. Research also examines whether certain genetic mutations predict better or worse outcomes with early intervention.
What to know before you search
Eligibility depends on cataract severity, whether surgery is already planned, age, and for prevention trials, having early cataracts that don't yet impair vision.
What types of trials are currently open
- Prevention trials — Testing eye drops or vitamins to slow cataract formation, usually in people with early clouding not yet needing surgery.
- Surgical technique trials — Comparing laser-assisted surgery to standard ultrasound removal, or testing new ways to break up and remove the clouded lens.
- Lens design trials — Testing new artificial lens types — multifocal, toric for astigmatism, or lenses that adjust focus — against standard single-focus implants.
- Complication prevention trials — Testing treatments to prevent posterior capsule opacification, the clouding that develops behind the artificial lens in some people after surgery.
- Pediatric studies — Following children with congenital cataracts to understand optimal surgery timing, visual outcomes, and long-term development.
Recently added Cataracts trials
Track your vision and quality of life over 2 years after cataract surgery
This longitudinal observational study aims to evaluate long-term visual adaptation trajectories, optical quality, and patient-reported outcomes in age-related cataract patients following bilateral implantation of multifocal or mix-and-match intraocular lenses (IOLs). Patients will be followed up longitudinally after surgery to systematically assess visual performance and quality of life.
Randomized Controlled Trial of the STEIN Protocol: A Neuroplastic Pain Education and Guided Breathing Intervention During Awake Cataract Surgery
This randomized controlled trial evaluates whether a standardized perioperative neuroplastic intervention: the STEIN Protocol (Strategies and Techniques for Enhancing Integration and Neuroplasticity), consisting of pain neuroscience education, guided imagery, and paced breathing, reduces intraoperative analgesic and anxiolytic requirements. Secondary outcomes include patient-reported pain, anxiety, satisfaction, and postoperative recovery following cataract surgery. Reduced intraoperative sedative and analgesic requirements may reflect improved patient comfort and autonomic regulation while minimizing medication-related adverse effects.
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