Cataracts are a very common cause of impaired vision.
There have been significant advances in the treatment of this condition in the past few years, and most people with this problem can now expect to regain most or all of their vision. A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear and transparent lens of the eye. It is not a tumour or a new growth of skin or tissue over the eye but rather a fogging of the lens itself. When a cataract develops, the lens becomes as cloudy as a frosted window and light cannot be properly focused on the retina resulting in an unclear image. Often, only a small part of the lens is affected and, if sight is not greatly impaired, there is no need to remove the cataract.