Cardigan
4 William Street,
Cardigan,
Ceredigion,
SA43 1EL
01239 612004

Narberth
Spring Gardens,
Narberth,
Pembrokeshire,
SA67 7AW
01834 861660

Pembroke Dock
The Argyle Medical Centre Argyle Street,
Pembroke Dock,
Pembrokeshire,
SA72 6HL
01646 689907

Over half of those over 65 have some cataract development and most cases can be treated successfully with surgery. A cataract is not a skin that grows over the eye. A cataract is a clouding of part of the eye called the lens. Vision becomes blurred or dim because light cannot pass through the clouded lens to the back of the eye.

What causes a cataract?
Cataracts can form at any age, but most often develop as people get older. In younger people they can result from an injury, certain drugs, long-standing inflammation or illnesses such as diabetes.

 

Some symptoms

"I'm not seeing as well as I used to"
People may notice that some things seem blurred round the edges, or that your glasses seem dirty or scratched.

Seeing double
The cloudiness in the lens may occur in more than one place, so that the light rays which reach the retina are split, causing a double image.

Poor vision in bright light
Bright light or very sunny days may make it more difficult to see.

Change of colour vision
As the cataract develops, its centre becomes more and more yellow, giving everything you see a yellowish tinge.

 

What can be done ?
Early cataracts often make you more short-sighted, which can (up to a point) be compensated for by altering the prescription of your glasses. However, this benefit is usually only short-lived as the cataract continues to progress and the symptoms increase. At this stage the most effective treatment for cataracts is a small operation to remove the cloudy lens. This cannot be performed by laser, although laser treatment is sometimes needed afterwards. Diets or drugs have not been shown to slow or stop the development of the cataract.

What is a lens implant ?
When the cloudy lens has been surgically removed it is usually replaced by a plastic lens so that the eye can focus properly. Occasionally a doctor will decide an eye is not suitable for a lens implant. In these cases contact lenses or special glasses will be prescribed instead.

 

[data from www.college-optometrists.org]