Cataract

To get a good focused image, both the cornea and the lens within the eye need to be clear and of the optimum size in relation to the rest of the eye.

If the lens becomes cloudy ( opaque) it is called a cataract.

Cataracts are a normal part of the ageing process and affect the majority of people over 60 to some extent or another. Cataracts can also affect younger people, especially if there is a family history of early cataract, or if the person has worked in bright sunshine without eye protection, has taken steroids or has had an eye injury.

The operation to remove a cataract is not painful and is usually around 20 minutes in duration. The complication rate is extremely low and the advantages of clear vision usually outweigh any risks.

A prosthetic implant replaces the natural lens and this can be a multifocal ( bifocal) lens that offers good all round vision or a monofocal lens, where spectacles would be needed for reading and computer work.