Cataracts Q&As
Published by Bupa's health information team, November 2008.
Answers to questions about cataracts
This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.
- Can I drive if I have cataracts?
- How quickly will I lose my sight?
- Can my cataract come back if I have it removed?
Can I drive if I have cataracts?
This depends on how advanced your cataract is, and whether just wearing glasses is enough to help with your vision.
Explanation
It is a legal requirement that you reach certain visual standards in order to hold a driving licence. These standards are set by the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Under the DVLA standards, you must be able to read a vehicle's registration plate in good light, while wearing glasses or contact lenses if you use them, at a distance of 20 metres (this is 20.5 metres for vehicles older than September 2001, as the letters on registration plates before this time were slightly bigger). You should not drive if you are unable to read from this distance. You may find that glare is a problem (for example, from headlights when driving at night), even if your vision is otherwise satisfactory.
If you are concerned whether your vision meets the DVLA standards, you should book an eyesight test with your optometrist/optician. If your eyesight doesn't meet the required standard and you wish to continue driving, you will need surgery to remove your cataract. If the vision in your other eye is unaffected, it's still possible to meet the driving standards outlined above (although it can take time to adapt to driving with good vision in only one eye).
Sources
- At a glance guide to the current medical standards of fitness to drive. Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, February 2008
- Understanding cataracts. Royal College of Ophthalmologists. www.rcophth.ac.uk, accessed 5 August 2008
How quickly will I lose my sight?
This varies considerably from person to person.
Explanation
Your vision will probably continue to get worse if you don't have your cataract removed. In many people, this happens very slowly over a matter of years. However, the speed at which your sight gets worse varies from person to person.
The good news is that as long as your vision loss is only caused by the cataract, then even if you do reach a level where you have completely lost your sight, your vision can usually be restored with surgery.
Sources
- Cataract. BMJ Clinical Evidence. www.clinicalevidence.bmj.com, accessed 8 August 2008
Can my cataract come back if I have it removed?
No a cataract can't come back once it has been removed.
Explanation
Once you have had your cataract surgically removed, it won't be able to come back again, although it is possible to get a cataract in your other eye.
However, it is quite common to develop a condition after surgery called posterior capsule opacification (PCO). This makes your vision cloudy, but it isn't the same as having a cataract. It is caused by thickening of the lens casing - the part of your eye that usually holds your lens in place. This lens casing isn't removed during surgery.
PCO usually develops within two years of having surgery, but can sometimes come on many years later. You will just need a relatively minor procedure using a laser to correct your vision. The procedure (known as a capsulotomy) is relatively quick and painless. Your pupil will be dilated with eye drops and you will be asked to sit with your chin rested on a machine whilst the surgeon directs the laser to break the cloudy centre of the lens casing. Your vision will usually be restored straight away, although very occasionally you may get inflammation which will require further treatment.
Sources
- Cataract surgery guidelines. Royal College of Ophthalmologists, 2004. www.rcophth.ac.uk
- Khaw PT, Elkington AR, ABC of eyes. 3rd ed. London: BMJ Publishing Group, 1999: 31
Related topics
This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.
Publication date: November 2008
Cataracts factsheet
Visit the cataracts health factsheet for more information.
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