Cataract
When your vision becomes yellowish and cloudy resulting in an inability to see clearly at any distance
Who gets cataracts?
30% of people aged 65 years or older have visually impairing cataracts in one or both eyes1
YOU HAVE BLURRY VISION, HALOS AROUND LIGHTS AND SEE FADED COLOURS
A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye which leads to a decrease in vision. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colours, blurry vision, halos around light, trouble with bright lights, and trouble seeing at night. Left untreated, you will go blind.
STUDIES SHOW CATARACTS CAN AFFECT YOUR EMOTIONAL HEALTH
Losing your vision can substantially impair day-to-day routines and your enjoyment of leisure time. It may lead to a deterioration of mental health which renders you unable to work or pursue what once interested you. You are particularly vulnerable to low mood and depression, which affects 1 in 3 adults with vision loss.
DAILY IMPACTS OF LIVING WITH A CATARACT
You may find you participate less in social events. You may feel embarrassed by your deteriorating vision. You may feel anxious about losing your remaining eyesight. Falling and injuring yourself is more common. You find more difficulty with daily tasks which once felt routine.
MANY PEOPLE WITH CATARACTS FEEL LIKE A BURDEN ON OTHERS
Nobody wants to feel like they’re someone else’s responsibility. If you’re in otherwise good health, this new feeling of dependence can make you feel embarrassed and unhappy.
WHY WAIT FOR CATARACT SURGERY TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?
Literally from one day to the next, modern cataract surgery can have a life-changing impact for those whose life has been negatively impacted by cataracts. The yellowing is gone. The colours are clearer. Most importantly, it’s like you’ve got your independence back. And with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of refractive cataract surgery, you may just be able to become spectacle free.
Vision correction enables people of all ages to experience a richer life without spectacles or contact-lenses
I’ll guide you through the sometimes confusing world of vision correction options
My patients love their lives after vision correction

“Mr Shortt was very patient and kind with me while I had a little bit of a freak out directly before surgery. He quickly put me at ease and reassured me that nothing would be done until I was 100% ok with it. I cannot recommend Mr Shortt and his team highly enough, patient, caring and very professional.”

“Quite simply the best medical experience I’ve had. Mr Shortt’s knowledge, professionalism and attention to detail was faultless and the aftercare absolutely Impeccable.”

“I cannot recommend Mr Shortt highly enough. Very organised and gets back to you quickly with any questions you have. Is very thorough in his explanations and makes you feel at ease before surgery. Surgery was quick and the results were brilliant. Aftercare was top notch as well.”

“I had LASIK done 2 weeks ago and it was the best decision ever! The procedure was very quick, painless and the result was instant. Dr Alex Shortt was very competent and easy to talk to. He’s calm, knowledgeable and a charming person.”

“Mr Alex Shortt successfully performed Lens Replacement Surgery on both my eyes on the 13th October 2017. The care that I have received from Alex and his team through out the process has been amazing. Choosing Mr Shortt as my surgeon was one of the best decisions that I have made. I would very highly recommend Mr Shortt. l will always be grateful to Alex for the amazing care and results I’ve received – thank you!”

“Excellent care by a first class consultant. Would not hesitate to recommend Mr. Alex Shortt. Puts you at ease, explains every aspect of the treatment he is going to adminster and his care and professionalism are excellent. He is simply the best.”

“Don’t want to write a load of waffle so people get bored. All I can say is if you are thinking of having eye surgery go and speak to Mr Shortt. You won’t be disappointed. We need more surgeons of his high standard in the UK.”

“Mr Alex Shortt’s manner and brilliant skills are of the highest professional and caring standard one could ever expect to receive. I am now living in a bright new world no longer needing spectacles after wearing bifocal lenses for the past 24 years.”

“I can honestly say the care I’ve received has been outstanding. Nothing has ever been too much trouble, he has taken the time to explain everything in detail, and has gone above and beyond on multiple occasions to ensure I get everything I need. He has always treated me respectfully and ensured we have made decisions together. I’ll always be grateful to Alex for the amazing care I’ve received.”

“During the procedure Dr Shortt explained what he was doing every step of the way. This really made me feel at ease and reassured throughout. He made the whole procedure very simple.”
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Supplementary information about cataracts
In my expert hands, you certainly don’t need to know all of the information I’ve included in the toggles below. If you’d like to know how it all works, however, open them and learn more.
Take the first step
Find out if your eyes are suitable for vision correction
Even more information about cataract
I frequently write articles and publish videos to answer people’s most common questions and keep them updated on the latest developments in vision correction. Find out more below…
How does the eye work?
How does the eye work? The
Why do we need to wear glasses or contact lenses?
Why do we need glasses or contact lenses?
What is the cornea?
What is the Cornea? The cornea
Why would a patient choose to have laser eye surgery?
Why would a patient require laser eye surgery?
Compare cataract with other relevant eye conditions
Eye conditions are frequently misunderstood, so here’s a quick overview of the ones I most commonly treat
ASTIGMATISM
Astigmatism is an imperfection in the shape of your eye’s cornea or lens. Usually, the cornea and lens are round or spherical like a football. In eyes that have astigmatism, the cornea and or lens of the eye are oval in shape like an egg. As a result, light rays focus on a blurred oval shape on the retina rather than as a single sharp image. Learn more about astigmatism…
Treatments for astigmatism
SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS
Short-sightedness is also known as Myopia.
Short-sightedness (or myopia) is an eye condition where the focusing power of the eye is too strong. For that reason, if you’re short-sighted, you need to wear negative power lenses to reduce the focusing power of the eye. Doing so brings the image of the world into focus on our retina. Learn more about short-sightedness…
Treatments for short-sightedness
LONG-SIGHTEDNESS
Long-sightedness is also known as Hyperopia and Hypermetropia.
Hyperopia or long-sightedness is an eye condition where the focusing power of the eye is too weak. For that reason, if you have long-sightedness, you need to wear positive power lenses to increase the focusing power of the eye and bring the image of the world into focus on our retina. Learn more about long-sightedness…
Treatments for long-sightedness
DRY EYE
The term “dry eye” covers many different eye conditions where an imbalance in the volume or quality of the tears results in inflammation and damage to the surface of the eye. Patients have varying degrees of dry eye symptoms from occasional discomfort and stinging to severe pain and inability to see. Learn more about dry eye…
PRESBYOPIA
Presbyopia is the eye condition which causes people aged 45 and older to need reading glasses. The ageing of the eye’s natural lens which stiffens and loses its ability to focus causes presbyopia.
Treatments for presbyopia
KERATOCONUS
Keratoconus is a condition where the cornea, the front window of the eye, becomes thinner, loses its strength and begins to warp out of shape progressively. Learn more about keratoconus…
Treatments for keratoconus
- Cross-linking
- INTACS
- Corneal transplant
RECURRENT CORNEAL EROSION
Recurrent corneal erosion is a painful eye condition where there are episodes of severe pain on waking which resolve over a few days to a week only to reoccur again in the future. Learn more about recurrent corneal erosion…
Treatments for recurrent corneal erosion
- Laser Phototherapeutic Keratectomy (PTK)

About the author
Mr Alex J. Shortt | Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
MB BCh MSc PhD FRCOphth PGDipCatRef
I’m Alex Shortt, a highly trained academic researcher and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon based in London’s famous Harley Street medical district. I trained and worked as a consultant for 14 years at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital. I specialise in advanced technologies for correcting vision, including stem cell cataract surgery, implantable contact lenses and laser vision correction.