Low awareness of cataract symptoms is contributing to sight loss in Rochdale

A local clinic is is raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of cataracts during cataract awareness month in a bid to prevent avoidable sight loss.

A lack of awareness of the symptoms and of the serious consequences of not seeking help for symptoms of cataracts is contributing to sight loss and irreversible eye damage, according to Practice Plus Group Ophthalmology, based at Rochdale Croft Shifa Health Centre.

Professor Richard Newsom, Consultant Ophthalmologist at Practice Plus Group, said: “The sooner cataracts are operated on, the better the patient’s vision will be in the long term. But unfortunately, we’re seeing a large portion of patients attending appointments when they have already had their quality of life significantly impacted, with the worst vision overall found in those from deprived postcodes.”

The clinic’s observations mirror figures published by The Royal College of Ophthalmologists; 18.1% of even the most affluent patients are waiting too long to visit their opticians, and this rises to 24.5% of the most deprived patients [national figures]. It is thought the health inequality could be due to a lack of awareness and the increased likelihood of there being other related health issues.

Practice Plus Group is increasing awareness of the signs and symptoms of cataracts with a number of events, resources and education sessions for carers and professionals around the country throughout June.

“There are so many benefits to cataract surgery,” continues Prof Newsom. “The risk of falls reduces by 33%, it helps hearing, improves mobility, enables driving and promotes independent living, quality of life and improves life expectancy. And if you don’t seek help, other eye diseases such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and retinal detachment can be hidden behind cataracts, lying undetected.”

Adrian Peake, who works for Practice Plus Group as Operational Director, put off having cataract surgery for three years before finally taking the plunge in October 2021.

Adrian said: “Having surgery on your eye is obviously not something anyone wants to have done. Even with my total faith in my colleagues, I felt fearful and actually put it off for three years. I love reading and I just didn’t read. When I did finally have the surgery, I wished I’d done it so much earlier. It took just 6 minutes and for me the results were immediate. Don’t underestimate the difference it will make to your life.”

You should see your GP or optometrist if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of cataracts. Treatment for NHS patients is available at Practice Plus Group, with private options also available.

At Practice Plus Group Ophthalmology, Rochdale Croft Shifa Health Centre, waiting times for a first NHS appointment is currently as little as 1 week.

For more information on the signs and symptoms of cataracts, see: Spot the first signs of cataracts | Practice Plus Group.

The main symptoms of cataracts are:

• cloudy vision
• changes in colour vision
• glare while driving
• difficulty with reading
• glasses prescription changes (increased frequency)
• double vision or ghosting of images (especially if only noticeable in one eye)
• progressive need for brighter light for reading
• recent struggle with vision at night and increased sensitivity to light.

What are cataracts?

Cataracts are a common eye condition that occur when the lens inside your eye becomes cloudy, affecting your ability to see. This is usually caused by ageing but can also be attributed to diabetes or the effects of steroid medication.

Cataract treatment almost always requires surgery to replace the cloudy lens with an artificial one.

Vision loss through cataracts can be reversed thanks to surgery.

How do cataracts affect vision?

Normal vision is when light enters and passes through the lens of your eye. The lens focuses that light into a sharp image on the retina. This then relays messages through the optic nerve to the brain. If the lens becomes cloudy as you develop cataracts, the image you see will be blurry. Other vision problems (such as myopia) can also cause blurry vision. However, the different types of cataracts produce distinctive signs and symptoms.

Early cataract vision

In the early stages of a cataract, you may not notice any significant changes to the clarity of your vision. At this stage, you may be more sensitive to glare around lights when driving at night, or if the sun is low. As a cataract progress further, you may then begin to notice your vision becoming cloudy or blurry.

Later stage cataract vision

Left untreated, a cataract will develop to late-stage. It can become visibly noticeable to other people, appearing as a milky spot at the centre part of the eye. It’s this that creates the vision impairment. With a late-stage cataract, patients will have very limited vision, may need to stop driving, and may become more reluctant to go out and about alone.

Cloudy or blurry vision

This is the most common symptom of cataracts. It can affect both distance and reading vision which may appear foggy. If left untreated, the clouding of the lens means the cataract will worsen, with less light able to get through the lens.

Double vision

Occasionally, cataracts can cause double vision (sometimes called diplopia) in one eye. Unlike double vision when both eyes are open, which is caused by the eyes not lining up together, with a cataract in one eye, vision appears double in the affected eye.

Glare

Glare, or sensitivity to light, is another early symptom of cataracts. You may have trouble with bright sunlight and indoor lights that may appear with halos. You may also struggle to drive at night due to the glare of streetlights and oncoming headlights.

Light sensitivity

Similar to glare, light sensitivity is another early symptom of cataracts. It occurs when the eye lens isn’t clear, which causes the incoming light to scatter. As a result, vision can be blurred and coping with bright light is difficult.

Changes in colour vision

Cataracts can affect how you perceive colour. This can make some hues and shades look faded. If left untreated, your vision may appear brown or yellow. Over time it may also become harder to distinguish blues and purples.

Difficulty seeing at night

Cataract patients with poor night vision (or night blindness) have trouble seeing in dim light or darkness. This means the eyes take a very long time to adjust when going from light to dark. Patients experiencing this cataract symptom struggle in low light conditions such as driving at night and in cinemas.

How long after cataract surgery does vision improve?

You should start to regain the feeling in your eye only a few hours after surgery. However, it may take a few days for any blurriness to clear up and your vision to fully return.

Longer term, your eye should be fully recovered and healed within 8 weeks.

Improve your vision

There are a few things you can do to help keep your vision healthy:

• eat a healthy diet with lots of green leafy vegetables
• don’t smoke
• get regular exercise
• wear sunglasses in bright light
• attend regular eye checks (once a year)