Inevitable? – Are cataracts inevitable?

Not everybody will get cataracts, so they’re not inevitable – but they are very common. Some studies suggest that around half of people over the age of 75 will have cataracts or have had surgery to remove cataracts, and that by the age of 65 around 30% of people have cataracts. 

Most cataracts are age related. If you’re 60 or over then you should make sure you have regular eye tests, so if you do develop cataracts, you catch them in their early stages. 

Luckily, if you do develop cataracts, surgery to replace the affected lens (or lenses, if you develop cataracts in both eyes) is fairly quick (about 5 to 10 minutes) and painless. In fact, it’s the most common surgery in the UK, so you can be sure that, should you need cataract surgery, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. 

It’s also worth noting that, even if you do develop age related cataracts, it’s likely that they’ll develop over a long period of time, so it’ll be a while before they impact your daily life to the point where you need surgery.