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Prof. Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Khattak
CEO FIO Hospitals & Consultant Ophthalmologist
How Common Is Cataract Blindness in Pakistan?
Cataract remains the leading cause of blindness in Pakistan, accounting for nearly 50% of all visual impairment in the country. An estimated 1.5 million Pakistanis are bilaterally blind from cataracts, and hundreds of thousands more have significant visual impairment in at least one eye. The tragedy is that virtually all of this blindness is avoidable — cataract surgery is one of the most cost-effective medical interventions in the world.
What Exactly Is a Cataract?
A cataract is a clouding of the natural crystalline lens inside the eye. The lens sits behind the iris and is normally perfectly transparent, focusing light precisely onto the retina. As we age — or due to diabetes, prolonged steroid use, trauma, or ultraviolet exposure — proteins within the lens break down and clump together, causing progressive opacification. The result is blurred vision, glare, halos around lights, and faded colours. Left untreated, the cataract will eventually cause complete blindness in the affected eye.
Why Does Early Cataract Surgery Give Better Outcomes?
Many patients and their families delay surgery, waiting until vision becomes "bad enough." This is a mistake. With modern phacoemulsification technique, it is far easier — and safer — to remove a soft, early-stage cataract than a dense, hardened, mature cataract. A soft lens nucleus can be emulsified and aspirated with minimal ultrasound energy, reducing the risk of corneal damage, inflammation, and prolonged recovery. A rock-hard brunescent cataract requires significantly more energy and surgical time, increasing the risk of complications.
Early surgery also means patients spend less time with impaired vision — which affects quality of life, ability to work, risk of falls in the elderly, and even cognitive function.
What Happens During Modern Cataract Surgery?
At FIO Hospital, we perform cataract surgery using the latest phacoemulsification platforms. The procedure is performed under topical anaesthetic drops — no needles, no injections around the eye, no general anaesthesia. Through a tiny self-sealing incision of just 2.2mm, ultrasound energy gently breaks up and removes the cloudy lens. The entire procedure typically takes 15–20 minutes, and patients return home the same day with a protective shield over the eye.
Visual recovery is rapid. Most patients notice significant improvement within 24 hours and achieve their final best-corrected vision within 2–4 weeks.
Which Intraocular Lens (IOL) Is Right for You?
Once the natural lens is removed, it must be replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) to restore focusing power. The choice of IOL has a profound impact on your visual outcome:
Monofocal IOL: The standard choice — provides excellent distance or near vision (but not both without glasses). Most commonly set for distance, with reading glasses for near tasks.
Toric IOL: For patients with significant astigmatism, a toric IOL corrects both the cataract and the astigmatism simultaneously, reducing or eliminating the need for distance glasses.
Premium Multifocal IOL: Advanced lenses that provide a full range of vision — distance, intermediate (computer), and near (reading) — often eliminating the need for any glasses. At FIO Hospital, we offer the latest generation diffractive multifocal IOLs for suitable candidates.
Book Your Cataract Assessment Today
If you or a family member notices blurred vision, glare, or difficulty driving at night — particularly in anyone over 50 — do not delay. An early consultation at FIO Hospital takes just 30 minutes and can make an enormous difference to visual outcomes. Call us at +92 91-5812-391 or visit any of our three branches in Peshawar, Islamabad, or Karachi.
Learn more about cataract surgery at FIO Hospital, explore premium IOL options, or visit our Cataract Centre of Excellence. Ready to start? Book an appointment.