Cataract

A cataract is the clouding of the lens inside your eye and they are very common as we get older. 

There is a clear and flexible lens that sits inside your eye (behind your pupil and iris), and as we age this lens can become cloudy. This is called a cataract.

A cataract is not a film or growth over the eye, this is a common misconception.

Without treatment, cataracts will continue to become cloudier and you may eventually go blind. While both eyes may have cataracts, it is usual for one to be more progressed than the other.

Cataract surgery is a safe and effective operation to restore clear vision by replacing the cloudy lens inside your eye with an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL).

Watch the video below to learn more about eye cataracts, cataract treatment, and cataract surgery.

In the early stages of a cataract forming, your vision may only be minimally affected. You may not be aware that you have the condition until you have an eye test.

Over time, you may become aware of the following:

• Cloudy, foggy or frosty vision
• Double vision in one eye
• Increased sensitivity to bright light and glare 
• Difficulty driving, especially at night 
• Trouble reading and recognising faces 
• Colours appear dull and faded 
• Updating your glasses no longer provides you with clearer vision