Cataracts
A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye which leads to a decrease in vision, increased glare with sunlight, difficulty reading and problems with driving at night. Cataracts cause half of all cases of blindness and 33% of visual impairment worldwide. Cataracts are most commonly due to ageing, but may also occur due to radiation exposure, be present from birth, or occur following eye surgery for other problems.
Symptoms
Cataracts reduce the amount of light entering the eye causing a dullness in vision.
Diagnosis
Our team of optometrists can see cataract formation during an eye examination, and will refer to the eye hospital for removal when they interfere with a patient’s quality of life. This operation is normally a relatively simple procedure that involves the removal of the clouded lens in the eye with an artificial implant. Good use of anglepoise lighting when reading and sunglasses to reduce glare from sunlight can help reduce the effects of this slowly progressive condition.