Cataract is when the focusing lens of the eye becomes cloudy. Just like a camera, we have a lens that focuses light to enable us to see.

When cataract develops, protein changes occur within the natural lens, making the lens cloudy. Patients describe this as like looking through a foggy window.

The word cataract stems from “waterfall”, hence some feel it is like looking through water.

Cataract, as with any condition, affects people differently. The earliest symptom that most people notice is difficulty with night-time vision- driving at night, or difficulty reading at night. Light beams are very disabling, causing haloes around lights. Some people give up driving at night due to this.

Other common symptoms include foggy vision, with some people unable to read street signs or bus numbers. Sensitivity to light is common, as is seeing double or a “shadow” next to another image.

Age is the most common cause of cataract. Indeed, the lens starts to become opaque at the age of 40 when lens proteins break down making the lens cloudy. The rate of cataract formation after the age of 40 differs between people, with some not requiring attention until a lot later in life.

Other causes include, UV light, smoking, medical conditions such as diabetes, radiation, eye injury or high dose steroids.

UV protection with sunglasses from an early age can help reduce the rate of cataract formation, however, ultimately, everyone will develop cataract at some stage in their life that will require attention.

The only way to treat cataract is through an operation. This is only when the cataract is affecting your vision or certain activities such as difficulty with night vision, seeing street signs, reading the newspaper. It may also be done if it is precluding the view of the back of the eye in conditions such macular degeneration, diabetes or glaucoma.

It is essential to have a comprehensive eye examination to determine that it is cataract causing your vision issue and nothing else.

In the present moment in time, cataract cannot be “cured” with any medication, exercise, diet or natural therapies. Surgery is currently the only way to remove a cataract.

There are multiple intraocular lenses that can be inserted following cataract removal.

The preoperative assessment process is designed to determine the best lens suited for your needs, based on multiple factors including the health of yourself, your eye and your visual and occupational needs.

As with any operation there are risks. However, being the most common surgery performed in those over 65 years of age, it is one of the most successful operations.

This will be discussed in great length at your appointment for cataract surgery.

Dr Sachdev will also give you information sheets regarding the risks and benefits so that you can take this home and read it with your family.

Any questions should be written down which will be discussed at length with you.

Cataract surgery is performed at a hospital as a day case procedure and routinely does not require any overnight stay or admission. You will stay in hospital for approximately 2-3 hours in total and will be able to walk out of the operating theatre and hospital. Someone should pick you up from the hospital.

It is advised that you should not drink alcohol, drive or operate heavy machinery or sign legal documents for the first 24 hours after surgery.

This will be discussed at length with your surgeon at your preoperative assessment. It depends on multiple factors such as medical conditions, occupation, visual needs and the status of your eye. Some patients do not need glasses following cataract surgery, whereas others do.

Once a cataract is removed, it does not grow back. The intraocular lens sits in a capsule and with time, this capsule becomes opaque such that you may get foggy vision. If this does happen, a simple laser procedure in the clinic can be performed to treat this. Capsular opacification can occur at anytime following cataract surgery and is different for everyone. It may be 1 year or 10 years.