Cataracts

At your standard eye examination we will assess whether you have any cataract and if so, whether it requires monitoring or treatment. If your cataract does require treatment we will arrange for a cataract assessment appointment which is usually paid for by the NHS. At this appointment eye drops are used to dilate the pupils and these take about twenty minutes to work. You will probably find that your vision is blurred and you may become more sensitive to light, so we recommend that you bring some sunglasses for travelling home.

Driving is not recommended after the appointment.

Our optometrist will then thoroughly examine your eyes and determine the type and extent of cataract you have and assess any other conditions that may be affecting your vision. After being referred to an ophthalmic department for treatment, we will review you post-operatively as recommended by your surgeon, to assess your vision and any new prescription needs.

What is a cataract?

A cataract is an opacity or cloudiness that occurs in the lens reducing its normal degree of transparency and causing loss of visual clarity. The loss of transparency in the lens interferes with the degree and quality of light reaching the retina. This clouding of the lens creates varying degrees of visual distortion.

Cataracts are a very common cause of visual problems and the term is used to describe even the smallest dot of opacification. With this in mind some statistics show that 65% of people aged 50 to 59 years old have some degree of opacity, rising to a 100% in those aged over 80 years old. The effect on a person's vision depends on the individual, as well as the type, position and size of the cataract. Although surgery may eventually be needed, management of the condition and the associated visual changes can be very effective in the early stages.

Symptoms

A patient with a cataract may experience any of the following symptoms:

  • Sensitivity to sunlight and halos around lights.
  • Frequent eyeglass prescription changes.
  • Blurred vision.
  • Double vision in one eye.
  • Need for a brighter light to read.
  • Loss of contrast sensitivity.
  • Poor night vision.
  • Fading of colours, loss of blue spectrum with a yellowing of most colors.

The main cause of cataract is the normal ageing process.

Risk factors

Even though cataracts are very common, those people more at risk of developing them are:

  • Those people taking steroids.
  • People who have diabetes.
  • Those who smoke.

Management of cataracts

For some people the best way to manage the symptoms of cataract is to wear sunglasses with an anti-reflection coating on the surface of the lenses. Cataracts are generally not surgically removed until vision cannot be improved to reasonable levels with eyeglasses or contact lenses. In recent years new technologies in both spectacle and contact lenses allow people with early stage cataracts better vision, for longer. 

Cataracts usually develop at a slow pace and progress can be monitored on a yearly basis at your usual eye examination. The decision to refer a patient for surgery depends on whether the patient has enough vision to function effectively in their life. When everyday activities are starting to be affected by visual difficulties and vision can no longer be corrected by spectacles or contact lenses, then surgery is recommended. Note that one eye is usually affected earlier than the other so it is highly unlikely that both eyes would be operated on at the same time.

Cataract surgery

Phakoemulsification is a surgical technique used to allow small incisions in the eye not requiring any sutures. This procedure takes approximately 20 minutes. After the removal of the clouded lens, an artificial lens is implanted that may provide excellent vision without the need for strong glasses or contact lenses. Prognosis for good vision is excellent.