NICE cataract referrals

Cataract is defined as opacity within the clear natural crystalline lens of the eye.¹² The word derives from the Greek ‘cataractis’ which means ‘waterfall’, due to its resemblance to the turbulent water of a waterfall. The WHO (2017) estimated cataract accounts for 25% of moderate to severe vision impairment and 35% of blindness worldwide.¹¹

Impact of cataract

Risk factors for cataract include increasing age, diabetes, corticosteroid use, female gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity, smoking and alcohol.¹ The pathophysiology of cataract varies by type although it is thought to be related to oxidative stress and metabolic changes which affect the structure of lens crystallins.¹²