Cataract Surgeon Kent
Mr Saurabh Goyal is a Consultant Eye Surgeon based in London and Kent. He is a specialist in glaucoma and cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery is available from both the BMI Blackheath Hospital, Kent and St. Thomas’ Hospital, London. To ensure you get the swift treatment you need, get in touch with our team to discuss your needs. We are here to help!
What is a cataract?
A cataract is a common eye condition that most people consider to be a normal part of ageing. The condition develops when the lens in your eye starts to become cloudy and can negatively affect your quality of vision.
The lens in your eye is normally clear and allows light to enter the eye, projecting images onto your retina at the back of your eye. Over time, the proteins contained inside your lens start to break down and stick together to form cloudy clumps that can cloud your vision. It is these cloudy clumps that we call cataracts.
Most cataracts develop slowly over time and may not significantly affect your vision, to begin with, but if left untreated the cloudiness and blurring of your vision will become worse over time. Cataracts can be treated with a surgical procedure called phacoemulsification.
What causes cataracts?
The most common cause of cataracts is through the natural ageing of your eyes. If one lives long enough then they will develop cataracts, although they can rarely occur in children but from the age of about 40, the chances of developing them significantly increases. The average age for surgery in the UK is around 70 years. However some people are troubled enough much earlier to have them removed.
Some people are at a higher risk of developing cataracts if they suffer from diabetes, obesity, they smoke, have a family history of early age cataracts, history of eye injury, eye surgery or steroid use etc.
Cataract symptoms
Because cataracts can take a long time to develop to a level that you notice, you may not be aware that you have developing cataracts. Eventually, you will probably experience some of these common symptoms:
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Extra sensitivity/glare to light and car headlights
- Frequent changes to your eyeglass’s prescription
- Pale, greying or fading colours
- Poor night vision
Not everyone will experience the same symptoms and this is because it will depend on the location of the cataract on your lens.
If you start to experience any of these symptoms, don’t worry. Cataracts are one of the most common eye conditions in the world. They can be treated very safely at our service in Kent to help restore your vision and prevent any further sight loss.
Private consultations and private surgery are available at both the BMI Blackheath Hospital, Kent and St. Thomas’ Hospital, London. You can choose to have your treatment at whichever hospital is the most convenient for you.
If you would like to talk to us about our cataract treatment options, do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to answer your questions and book a consultation for you.