Claude Monet's Cataracts

Monet started to have minor problems with cataracts as early as 1905 but wasn't diagnosed with the problem until 1912. Once diagnosed, Monet went to different doctors to find

alternatives to the clear fix for his sight problem, surgery. One ophthalmologist had a solution. His name was Charles Coutela and he had eye drops that dilated the pupil of the left eye. At the beginning Monet was pleased with the results, but they did not last long. Eventually surgery was recommended.

Monet put off surgery until 1923, but during that time he still painted. The effects of the cataracts could be seen in his work, as Monet simply painted what he saw. His brush strokes became broader as his vision became blurrier. He saw his whites, greens, and blues begin to change shade and disappear, replaced by yellows and purples.

By 1919, Monet began to worry that he would need to stop painting. Cataracts also causes lights to seem especially bright and the glare is particularly irritable, so Monet could only paint during optimal lighting hours. At this time his painting also became more abstract, using a red-orange palette for landscapes instead of a green-blue one.

There is no evidence to support that this was an intended stylistic change. Quite the contrary, when he finally got the surgery in 1923 he destroyed many of his works that he'd done with cataracts. The works that survive from this period are largely attributed to the intervention of his family and friends. He began to refine his Grand Decorations, the renewed eyesight giving him the ability to do so.

While the causes of cataracts are still largely unknown, there are many studies that show different causes, minor or major. One suggested cause is cosmic radiation, although Monet didn't get much of that. Two small studies, one taking place in 2002 and the other taking place in 2004, showed that lead poisoning could be a risk factor for cataracts.¹ Artists around this time were often exposed to lead in certain paints, Monet is even quoted saying that he used lead-based paints.

Sources:
1. http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/cataracts.htm