Cataract surgery can restore vision

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This year’s theme is about cataract surgery – the gift of sight.

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the country. They are responsible for about 50 per cent of blindness, and have been identified as a national health priority.

This is primarily a disease affecting elderly people.

In older people, cataracts are so common that they are regarded as a normal part of the aging process.

By age 65, about half of the human population has a cataract and, by age 75, most people have a cataract.

Though cataracts affect millions of people, being diagnosed with one is not a reason to despair.

Cataract surgery has been shown to be one of the most cost-effective and successful healthcare interventions.

In fact, about 95 per cent of patients are able to restore their full pre-cataract distance vision after undergoing the standard intraocular lens (IOL) procedure.

A cataract is described as a natural clouding of the eye lens.

Contrary to popular belief, a cataract is not a “film” over the eye.

Rather, it is a gradual thickening of the lens that causes the lens to become so clouded that light is either distorted or cannot reach the back of the eye (the retina) for transmission to the brain.

Symptoms of age-related cataracts can generally develop very slowly and painlessly over the years, and are often initially discovered by an eye doctor during routine exams, but may not be treated until the cataract symptoms affect daily activities and quality of life.

The most common symptoms of cataracts include:

* Cloudy or blurry vision.

* Colours seem faded.

* Glare – headlights, lamps or sunlight may appear too bright; a halo may appear around lights.

* Poor night vision.

* Double vision or multiple images in one eye, although this symptom may clear as the cataract gets larger.

* Frequent prescription changes in eyeglasses or contact lenses.