Cataract is the leading cause of blindness all over the world. Cataract is a clouding of the normally transparent lens. The most common cause is age related cataract that comes with aging. Cataract can also develop in very young children and adults which often due to some genetic abnormalities. Eye injury is another common cause of cataract especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. It can also be caused by other systemic diseases like diabetes and eye diseases like inflammation inside the eye.

Currently, the only available treatment for cataract is surgery. There are two types of surgery:

1. Manual small incision cataract surgery - a small incision (6mm) is made on the eye and the cataract is removed and the lens is inserted through this incision. Most of the time no suture is required.
2. Phaco surgery - an even smaller incision of 2-3 mm is made and a special machine is introduced into the eye that breaks up the cataract using ultrasound and sucks it out. A special lens that is rolled up like a cigarette is introduced through the micro incision, which then opens up in the eye like a butterfly. The healing in this method is much faster.

Both type of surgeries are available at Biruh Vision Eye Clinic.