Cataracts are one of the main causes of visual impairment, accounting for 47.9% of blindness worldwide. It is estimated that more than half of people over the age of 65 years have some degree of cataract development in one or both the eyes. In England and Wales, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists estimates that 2.4 million people aged 65 years or older have at least one visually impairing cataract. Surgical treatment accounted for 329 447 operations in 2008–2009: the most common elective surgical procedure. Familiarity with the diagnosis, consequent functional limitations and the role of secondary care are essential in order to provide effective management of this common condition.
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