Cataracts
Treating age-related cataracts
If your cataracts aren't too bad, stronger glasses and brighter reading lights may help. However, as cataracts get worse over time, it's likely that you'll eventually need treatment. Surgery is the only type of treatment that's proven to be effective for cataracts. It's usually recommended if loss of vision has a significant effect on your daily activities, such as driving or reading. Cataract surgery involves removing thecloudy lens through a small incision in your eye and replacing it with a clear, plastic one.In most cases, the procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic (where you're conscious, but the eye is numbed) and you can usually go home the same day. Almost everyone who has cataract surgery experiences an improvement in their vision, althoughit can sometimes take a few days or weeks for your vision to settle.You should be able to return to most of your normal activities within about two weeks. After the operation, your plastic lens will be set up for a certain level of vision, so youmay need to wear glasses to see objects that are either far away or close by. If you wore glasses previously, your prescription will probably change. However, your optician will need to wait until your vision has settled before they can give you a new prescription. 
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Introduction
Cataracts occur when changes in the lens of the eye cause it to become less transparent (clear). This results in cloudy or misty vision. The lens is the crystalline structure that sits just behind your pupil (the black circle in the center of your eye).
Symptoms of cataracts
As cataracts develop over many years,problems may be unnoticeable at first. Cataracts often develop in both eyes, although each eye may be affected differently. You'll usually have blurred, cloudy or
When to seean optician
If you have problems with your vision, make an appointment to see your optician (also known as an optometrist). They can examine your eyes and test your sight. The optician may look at your eyes with
Who's affected
Cataracts are very common and they're the main cause of impaired vision worldwide. In the UK, most people who are aged 65 or older have some degree of visual impairment caused by cataracts. Men and w
What causes age-related cataracts?
The reasons why age-related cataracts develop aren't fully understood. Like grey hair, cataracts are an inevitable part of ageing that affect different people at different ages. Cataracts are the resu
Treating age-related cataracts
If your cataracts aren't too bad, stronger glasses and brighter reading lights may help. However, as cataracts get worse over time, it's likely that you'll eventually need treatment. Surgery is the on
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