What Is A Cataract?

Cataract is any clouding of the lens of the eye. The lens lies inside the eye, just behind the pupil. It focuses light entering the eye on to the retina. In the early stages of cataract only part of the lens becomes cloudy, this makes the vision hazy, and in bright light when the pupil constricts, the haze is accentuated. Sometimes a person may notice double vision.

When clouding is complete, the cataract is said to be mature and the pupil takes on a grey appearance.

Will I Get A Cataract?

Most often, cataract occurs, like the greying of hair, as a natural part of the aging process. There is often a family predisposition. In younger patients it sometimes results from injury, illnesses such as diabetes, long-standing inflammation within the eye or from certain drugs.

How Do You Treat It?

Treatment is by removal of the cloudy or opaque lens from the eye. This involves opening the eye at the edge of the cornea. Nowadays, the operation is usually performed with the aid of a microscope.

The operation can be performed at any stage of cataract development. It is usually suggested when the visual impairment, even with new glasses, is sufficient to curtail a person’s activities.

The timing will vary with different people; for example, some will wait until they cannot read small print, others who wish to continue driving may need the operation earlier.

An intra-ocular lens is an artificial lens that is permanently implanted inside the eye after removal of cataract. It is plastic, of clinical quality, which is non-toxic and chemically inert. It is light, transparent, and experience has shown that there is no tendency for rejection or disintegration.