| If you have a cataract it means the natural lens in | | | | shopping or drive a car. |
| your eye is cloudy. In a cataract operation your | | | | Some people manage with their cataract for |
| surgeon will remove the cloudy lens and put an | | | | longer than others because their poorer sight |
| artificial clear lens in its place.Your lens sits behind | | | | does not affect them much. For example, a |
| the coloured part of your eye (the iris) and helps | | | | person who loves bird-watching may decide they |
| you to see things in focus. | | | | need treatment before a person whose main |
| When you look at something, light comes into | | | | hobby is listening to music.In the past, people |
| your eye through the hole in the centre (the pupil) | | | | were advised that their cataract had to be 'ripe' |
| and passes through the lens to the back of the | | | | (very bad) before it was worth having an |
| eyeball (the retina).The light is then changed into | | | | operation. |
| nerve signals that travel to your brain. Your brain | | | | This is because cataract surgery was a big |
| tells you what the image is. | | | | operation that took a long time to recover from, |
| If the lens is cloudy, the image on the back of | | | | and the artificial lenses used then were not very |
| the eye will be blurred. It's rather like looking | | | | good. Now, with safer, quicker operations, |
| through a dirty windscreen or frosted | | | | cataracts are generally removed earlier, before |
| glass.Different parts of the lens can become | | | | they cause serious problems. And modern lenses |
| cloudy. Commonly cataracts begin as clouding | | | | are better. |
| around the edges of the lens. | | | | Sometimes a cataract should be removed even if |
| You may notice that you get a lot of glare or a | | | | it does not cause problems with your sight. This is |
| 'halo' effect around bright lights, or when the sun | | | | because there is another eye problem that needs |
| is low in the sky. If you drive you might find | | | | treating and the cataract is in the way. Examples |
| oncoming headlights more difficult to cope with | | | | of other eye problems are diabetic retinopathy |
| than before. Cataracts can also affect the middle | | | | and macular degeneration.They are problems with |
| of the lens, which makes your vision foggy.As the | | | | the blood vessels in the eye.If you have cataracts |
| cataract grows:your sight becomes blurry;you | | | | in both eyes, it's normal to do them one eye at a |
| may have double vision;you may find it hard to | | | | time, usually a couple of months or more apart. |
| tell the difference between some colours, | | | | This is because the treated eye can be sore and |
| especially shades of blue;you may see 'halo' | | | | needs to settle down for a while. |
| effects around lights, especially at night. | | | | A cataract operation usually lasts about 10 |
| Cataracts are common. About a third of people | | | | minutes to 20 minutes. You should be able to go |
| aged over 65 have cataracts in one or both | | | | home the same day. You may know someone |
| eyes.Getting older and exposure to bright sunlight | | | | who has stayed overnight after their cataract |
| are the main reasons people get cataracts. Having | | | | operation. People usually only stay in hospital if |
| diabetes, smoking and drinking too much alcohol | | | | they have problems after their operation, if they |
| may also increase your risk of cataracts. | | | | have other eye diseases (glaucoma, for example) |
| A cataract operation can:help you see better and | | | | or other medical problems that doctors need to |
| stop your poor sight interfering with your life. Not | | | | check. |
| everyone with a cataract needs an operation. | | | | For most people it's as safe to be at home as it |
| Doctors usually suggest the operation when your | | | | is to stay in hospital, and most people prefer to |
| cataract interferes with your daily life rather than | | | | be in familiar surroundings.At hospitals that are |
| when your eyesight reaches a particular score on | | | | very experienced in doing cataract surgery, you |
| a sight test.Your cataract may mean you can't | | | | may be in and out of the hospital within 90 |
| see well enough to read, work, play a sport, go | | | | minutes. |