What is Cataract?

Cataract is the clouding of the normally clear lens of your eye. For people who have cataract, seeing through the cloudy lens is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. Clouded vision caused by cataracts can make it difficult to read or drive (especially at night).

Cataract Signs and Symptoms

Clouded, blurred or dim vision
Increasing difficulty with vision at night
Sensitivity to light and glare
Need brighter light for reading and other activities
Seeing “halos” around lights
Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
Fading or yellowing of colours
Double vision in a single eye

At first, the cloudiness in your vision caused by a cataract may affect only a small part of the eye’s lens and you may be unaware of any vision loss. As the cataract grows larger, it clouds more of your lens and distorts the light passing through the lens. This may lead to more noticeable symptoms.

Cataract Treatment

Cataract is treated only through surgery. There is no medication or eye drop which can treat cataract.
Modern cataract surgery is a day surgical procedure which is done under local anaesthesia. The recovery of vision can be very quick.
Phacoemulsification is current the gold standard for cataract surgery.
This involves the use of high frequency ultrasound to break the cataract into little pieces which can then be removed through a very small wound (usually less than 3mm). No stitches are required.
A clear artificial lens, also known as Intra Ocular Lens (IOL) is then placed into the eye.

Types of Lens Available

There are several options available to choose from, all of which depends on the suitability and more importantly the lifestyle that you have

Monofocal – corrects the distance
vision (you will still need to wear reading glasses after the correction)
Monofocal Toric – corrects the distance
vision and astigmatism (you will still need to wear reading glasses after the correction)
Multifocal – corrects the distant, intermediate and near vision
Multifocal Toric – corrects the distant, intermediate and near vision, as well as astigmatism