• Feel Good Contacts
  • 01 514 3614
  • Need Optical Advice?
  • OFFERS
    • 10% off First Order
    • 5% off on Auto Replenish
    • Glasses up to 70% off
    • Sunglasses up to 60% off
    • Refer a Friend
    • Earn Reward Points
    • Student Discount
    • Download Mobile App for FREE
  • Contact Lenses
    Top Brands
    • Acuvue
    • Air Optix
    • Alcon / Ciba Vision
    • Bausch & Lomb
    • Biofinity
    • Clariti
    • Comfi
    • Cooper Vision
    • Focus Dailies
    • Freshlook
    • All Brands
    Type
    • Daily Contact Lenses
    • Monthly Contact Lenses
    • Two Weekly Contact Lenses
    • Toric/Astigmatism Lenses
    • Multifocal Contact Lenses
    • Coloured Contact Lenses
    • Cheap Contact Lenses
    • Next Day Contact Lenses
    • Extended Contact Lenses
    • Silicone Hydrogel Lenses
    • No Prescription Lenses
    Top Sellers
    • comfi Daily Disposable
    • 1 Day Acuvue Moist
    • Dailies AquaComfort Plus
    • Acuvue Oasys 1-Day with HydraLuxe
    • Acuvue Oasys
    • 1 Day Acuvue Moist For Astigmatism
    • Air Optix Aqua
    • FreshLook Colorblends
    • Biofinity
    • 1 Day Acuvue Moist Multifocal
    Buyer's Guide
    • Save with comfi
    • Which comfi is for you?
    • How to put in contact lenses
    • How to clean your contact lenses
    • Guide to Astigmatism
    • Glasses prescription vs contact lens prescription
    • Best contact lenses for dry eyes
    View All Contact Lenses
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Solutions
    Top Brands
    • Boston
    • Biotrue
    • Comfi
    • EasySept
    • Ote Optics
    • Opti Free
    • OxySept
    • ReNu
    • Total Care
    • All Brands
    Type
    • Multi Purpose Solutions
    • Saline Solutions
    • Peroxide Solutions
    • Travel Pack Solutions
    • Rigid & Gas Permeable
    • Multi Pack Solutions
    Top Sellers
    • comfi All-in-One Solution
    • Biotrue Multi-Purpose Solution Twin Pack
    • Delta Plus Disinfecting Soaking and Wetting Solution
    • ReNu Multi-Purpose Solution Triple Pack
    • Opti-Free Express Twin Pack
    • Opti-Free RepleniSH Twin Pack
    • Refine One Step Solution - 250ml Triple Pack
    Buyer's Guide
    • How to clean and store soft lenses
    • Which contact lens solution do I need?
    • How to clean a contact lens case
    View All Solutions
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Eye Care
    Top Brands
    • Altacor
    • Artelac
    • Biotrue
    • Comfi
    • Blink
    • Hycosan
    • Optase
    • Systane
    • The Body Doctor
    • The Eye Doctor
    • Thea
    Eye Care
    • Eye Drops
    • Eye Accessories
    • Dry Eye Treatments
    • Supplements & Hygiene
    • Face Masks
    • Covid Essentials
    • Travel Essentials
    Top Sellers
    • comfi Soothe Drops
    • Blink-N-Clean Eye Drops
    • Blink Intensive Tears Vials
    • Clinitas Soothe Multi
    • Feel Good Contact Lens Case
    • Feel Good Cleaning Kit
    • Hycosan Extra Dry Eye Drops
    • The Eye Doctor Lid Wipes
    • Thera-Pearl Eye Mask
    • The AB Mask Anti-Fog Cloth
    Buyer's Guide
    • How to use eye drops
    • How to stop itchy eyes from hay fever - for good
    • Computer Eye Strain:
      Symptoms and Solutions
    View All Eye Care
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Glasses
    Gender
    • Women
      Glasses for women
    • Men
      Glasses for men
    Brands
    • Barbour
    • Calvin Klein
    • Chloe
    • DKNY
    • Dolce & Gabbana
    • EARTH
    • Emporio Armani
    • Farah
    • Feel Good Collection
    • Gucci
    • Hugo Boss
    • Lacoste
    • Le Specs
    • Marc Jacobs
    • MaxMara
    • Michael Kors
    • Oakley
    • O'Neill
    • Polaroid
    • Polo Ralph Lauren
    • Prada
    • Radley
    • Ralph by Ralph Lauren
    • Ray-Ban
    • Superdry
    • Tommy Hilfiger
    • Versace
    • Vogue
    Frame Shapes
    • Aviator Aviator
    • Oval Oval
    • Rectangle Rectangle
    • Round Round
    • Square Square
    • Wayfarer Wayfarer
    • Clubmaster Clubmaster
    • Cat Eye Cat Eye
    • Butterfly Butterfly
    • Hexagonal Hexagonal
    Special Offers
    • Clearance
    • New Arrivals
    • Best Sellers
    Price Range
    • £6 - £30
    • £30 - £70
    • £70 - £100
    • £100+
    Advice & Top Tips
    • Glasses prescription
    • Glasses frame size guide
    • Glasses lens options
    • Glasses lens coatings
    • How to tighten my glasses
    • Lens packages
    • Glasses tints
    View All Brands View Blue Light Glasses View Sustainable Glasses
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Sunglasses
    Gender
    • Women
      Sunlasses for women
    • Men
      Sunglasses for men
    Brands
    • Calvin Klein
    • Carrera
    • Chloe
    • Dolce & Gabbana
    • Dunlop
    • Feel Good Collection
    • Gucci
    • Hugo Boss
    • Jimmy Choo
    • Kendall + Kylie
    • Lacoste
    • Le Specs
    • Linda Farrow
    • Oakley
    • O'Neill
    • Persol
    • Polaroid
    • Police
    • Prada
    • Radley
    • Ray-Ban
    • Saint Laurent
    • Superdry
    • Tommy Hilfiger
    • Versace
    • Victoria Beckham
    • Vogue
    Frame Shapes
    • Aviator Aviator
    • Oval Oval
    • Rectangle Rectangle
    • Round Round
    • Square Square
    • Wayfarer Wayfarer
    • Wrap Wrap
    • Clubmaster Clubmaster
    • Cat Eye Cat Eye
    • Butterfly Butterfly
    • Hexagonal Hexagonal
    • Octagonal Octagonal
    • Heart Heart
    Advice & Top Tips
    • Sunglasses tints
    • Face shape guide
    • Types of sunglasses
    • UV protection guide
    Special Offers
    • Clearance
    • New Arrivals
    • Best Sellers
    Lens Coatings
    • Polarised
    • Mirrored
    • Gradient
    Price Range
    • £15 - £50
    • £50 - £80
    • £80 - £120
    • £120+
    View All Brands View Collections
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Help
    Customer Information
    • Contact Us
    • Delivery Information
    • Returns & Exchange
    • FAQ
    Customer Advice
    • Eye Care Hub
    • Optical Advice
    • Free Eye Test
    • Advice on Covid-19
    Popular Content
    • No Prescription Needed
    • Contact Lens Prescription
    • Glasses Prescription
    • Guides to Brands
    Tools
    • Vision Simulator
    • Dry Eye Quiz
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Blog
  • search feel good contacts blog
  • search feel good contacts
  • 0
  • Reorder
  • Login Login
      feel good contacts menu
    • My Account
    • Orders
    • Personal Details
    • Log out
    feel good contacts menu
    Existing Customer

    We've sent you an email
    to reset your password.

    Enter your email address

    I would like to receive friendly reminders when it’s time to re-order. I am aware I can easily unsubscribe from these at any time.
    NEW Customer
    Forgot Password Cancel
Price match guarantee
Order by 5:45pm for same day dispatch
Excellent
Reward points
Sustainable Glasses
Home
Eye Care Hub
Cataracts

Contact Lens Care

  • Which contact lens solution do I need?
  • How to clean a contact lens case?
  • How can I tell if my contact lens is inside out?

About Contact Lenses

  • How do toric contact lenses work?
  • What does the water content of a contact lens mean?

Eye Health

  • What are the best contact lenses for dry eyes?
  • How dehydration impacts your eyes?
  • Computer eye strain: Symptoms and solutions

Children's Eye Health

  • Why does my child get styes?
  • At what age can my child wear contacts?
  • How can I tell if my child has vision problems?

Lenses & Lifestyle

  • Which sunglasses will suit my face shape?
  • What are polarised sunglasses?
  • Guide to different types on sunglasses?

Prescriptions & Eye Tests

  • Difference between an Ophthalmologist, Optometrist & Optician
  • What does axis mean on my prescription
  • Can I buy my contact lenses online

Guides

  • A guide to Astigmastism
  • A guide to eye discharge
  • A guide to Presbyopia

Cataracts

Medically reviewed by Sharon Copeland on 11 March 2021

What are cataracts?

Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy or misty, similar to the effect of looking through frosted glass. The lens sits just behind the pupil and is usually transparent, allowing light to pass through to the retina.

Cataracts are the primary cause of vision loss for people over 40 and the leading cause of blindness in the world.

The lens of the eye is composed of water and protein; the protein arranged naturally, keeps the lens clear. Cataracts cause the protein to clump together and produce a cloudy appearance in a small part of the lens. Over time, this can grow larger, making it more difficult to see.

Cataracts usually appear in both eyes; however, they may not necessarily develop at the same time.

Who do cataracts mostly affect?

Age-related cataracts

Most cataracts take place in adults. When we begin to age, the tissue that makes the lens of your eyes will start to change. As we grow old, our lenses can start to become frosted, limiting our field of vision and the ability to see.

Childhood cataracts

While it's mainly adults who are affected by cataracts, babies and children can also be susceptible to the condition known as childhood cataracts which are relatively rare.

Congenital cataracts are present when a baby is born or shortly afterwards, while developmental cataracts emerge in older babies and children. They can also cause a squint or 'wobbling eyes', where the eyes point in different directions. Surgery can usually fix this condition without too many complications.

Babies must be checked for signs of cataracts as early as possible. Checking for cataracts in babies can reduce the risk of complications from long-term vision problems.

What is the first signs of cataracts?

Those in the early stages of cataracts may not notice changes in their vision. For this reason, regular eye exams are essential. An ophthalmologist will be able to detect cataracts right away. Nevertheless, here are some of the first signs of cataracts:

  • Cloudy Vision-the appearance of cloudy spots in your field of vision is one of the symptoms of early-stage cataracts. The spots may start small but will worsen over time and interfere with your daily life activities.
  • Difficulty seeing at night- those with early-stage cataracts will find that their nighttime vision worsens over time.
  • Increased sensitivity to light- bright lights will become particularly disruptive for those with early-stage cataracts and can cause sudden headaches.
  • Halos and glare-as cataracts develop, light passing through the lens gets diffracted. The result is halos around bright lights and glare in your field of vision.

Types of cataracts

Different types of cataracts include:

  • Nuclear cataracts - this type of cataracts affects the centre of the lens and can cause nearsightedness at first. However, over time, the lens turns yellow and causes your vision to become cloudier.
  • Cortical cataracts- this type of cataracts affects the edge of the lens. It starts as white streaks on the outer part of the lens cortex. As cataracts develop the streaks extend to the centre of the lens, interfering with the light passing through it.
  • Posterior subcapsular cataracts- this usually begins as a small opaque area near the back of the lens beneath the lens capsule. It can interfere with reading and may cause you to see halos around lights.
  • Congenital cataracts- some people are born with these cataracts. Causes can include infections (chickenpox and rubella) passed on from mothers while babies are still in the womb, genetic faults and eye injuries picked up after birth.

The removal of these cataracts are immediate, however, they don't always affect vision.

Can cataracts cause blindness?

As cataracts worsen over time, they can cause complete vision loss. Nevertheless, while many people assume that this is permanent, blindness caused by cataracts can be cured.

Cataract surgery should take place before low vision, or legal blindness happens and will ensure the best results

Is a cataract curable?

Cataracts are curable with cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant. During cataract surgery, they remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial lens.

This type of eye surgery is a typical operation in the UK and can happen in a day. It has a very high success rate in terms of treating eye conditions and improving eyesight.

It usually takes around 4-6 weeks to recover from this operation.

How to treat cataracts?

In some minor cases of cataracts, you'll be able to counter the effects by wearing a higher prescription of contact lenses or glasses.

However, cataracts typically worsen as time goes on, meaning that eventually surgery is required. This surgery is known as cataract removal and can happen in a day.

If you're suffering from cataracts, it's imperative to visit your GP or optician to monitor the progress and determine what level of treatment is required.

How can you prevent cataracts from getting worse?

You can lower the risks of cataracts by adopting specific lifestyle measures and adopting healthy habits. Medicine and eye drops have not proven to prevent cataracts or stop them from worsening. While there is no concrete evidence on how to prevent cataracts, here are some steps that may reduce your risk:

  • Go for regular eye examinations
  • Avoid smoking
  • Wear sunglasses with UV protection
  • Follow a healthy diet, rich in vitamins and nutrients
  • Manage health problems that may cause you to develop cataracts

Cataracts and driving

As long as you meet the visual standards for driving and aren't affected by glare as a result of cataracts, you don't need to inform DVLA if you have or have had cataracts.

Quick links:

A guide to congenital cataracts
Do I need an eye test?
Driving and Vision Guide

People also searched:

comfi Soothe Drops comfi Daily Disposable Guide to Astigmatism Toric / Astigmatism Contact Lenses Best Contact Lenses for Dry Eyes Contact Lens Prescription Glasses Prescription Free Eye Test glasses Blue Light Glasses
Please wait
Join our newsletter

Why Us
  • 10% Off Your First Order
  • Price Match Guarantee
  • 5% Off with Auto-Replenish
  • Feel Good Contacts App
  • Save with comfi
  • Which comfi is for you?
  • Trustpilot Reviews
  • Student Discount
  • Reward Points
  • Reasons to Feel Good
Top Products
  • 1 Day Acuvue Moist
  • Dailies AquaComfort Plus
  • comfi Daily Disposable
  • Acuvue Oasys 1-Day with HydraLuxe
  • Dailies Total 1
  • Acuvue Oasys
  • 1 Day Acuvue Moist For Astigmatism
  • Air Optix Aqua
  • FreshLook Colorblends
  • Biofinity
Order Information
  • Optician Own Brand Contact Lenses
  • No Prescription Needed
  • Delivery Information
  • Click & Collect
  • Returns and Exchange
  • Secure Online Shopping
  • Contact Lens Specifications
  • Optical Advice
  • FAQs
  • About Us
Contact Us
  • 0800 458 2090 (Free)
  • +44 7810 004 929 (WhatsApp)
  • +44 7810 004 929 (WhatsApp)
  • cs@feelgoodcontacts.com
Customer Service Hours

Mon - Fri: 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sat - Sun: 9:00am - 5:30pm
Bank Holidays: 9:00am - 5:30pm

Download the app
Countries
  • feel good contacts united kingdom
  • feel good contacts ireland
  • feel good contacts france
Secure Payments Secure Payments
Secure Payments

Browse by Categories

  • Contact Lenses|
  • Contact Lens Solutions|
  • Glasses|
  • Blue Light Glasses|
  • Sunglasses|
  • Eye Drops|
  • Dry Eye Treatments|
  • Glasses up to 70% Off|
  • Sunglasses up to 60% Off

Browse by Contact Lens Type

  • Daily Contact Lenses|
  • Monthly Contact Lenses|
  • Two Weekly Contact Lenses|
  • Toric/Astigmatism Lenses|
  • Multifocal Contact Lenses|
  • Coloured Contact Lenses|
  • Cheap Contact Lenses|
  • Next Day Contact Lenses|
  • Extended Contact Lenses|
  • Silicone Hydrogel Lenses
©2023 Feel Good Contacts Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
T&Cs Privacy Policy Cookie Disclaimer Affiliate Program
Top