Cataract

Cataracts can often appear in both eyes, but operations to remove them are carried out on one eye at a time. The procedure involves taking out the cloudy lens in the eye, replacing it with a clear, artificial implant. This is done to restore vision. 

Cataract operations are usually carried out under local anaesthetic and patients are treated as day cases. This means that no overnight stay in hospital is needed. Patients are awake during the operation, but the local anaesthetic means the eye is numb.