Meet Susan. Susan lives in small village with her husband near the Appenzell Alps in Switzerland. She is a mother and grandmother to a large family, and enjoys an active lifestyle, going for walks with her husband in the beautiful Swiss countryside.
A year ago, Susan noticed the colours of the flowers she saw on her walks were looking less clear than usual. As time went on, the details got less and less distinct and her sight started to become blurry. Concerned, she went to a local eye clinic. The ophthalmologist examined her eyes and discovered that she had cataracts.
Cataracts are one of the leading causes of blindness. The condition affects 65 million people worldwide, and accounts for half of the world’s 40 million people who are blind. Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye develops cloudy patches. People with cataracts see the world as if they are looking through a frosted window. This can make daily tasks difficult, reducing mobility and independence, and severely impacting a person’s quality of life.
Although cataracts can happen due to injury, the main cause is age. With the World Health Organization estimating that the number of people over the age of 60 will nearly double from 12% to 22% by 2050, cataract cases are expected to rise significantly.
Medicel, a Halma company based in Switzerland, is one of the global market leaders in cataract surgery technology. Its injectors enable every fifth cataract surgery worldwide, helping 6 million new lenses to be implanted each year, saving the eyesight of millions.
Cataracts can be easily treated if detected early. Once Susan was diagnosed, she was booked in for cataract surgery at a local eye clinic, under the supervision of an experienced ophthalmologist, Dr Florian Sutter. The treatment involves replacing the cloudy lens with an artificial lens. Thanks to specialist lens injectors like Medicel’s, a new lens can be inserted once the cloudy lens has been removed. Due to the innovative design of Medicel’s injectors, eye surgeons like Dr Sutter can perform this treatment in less than 10 minutes.
Thanks to the surgery, Susan’s quality of life has been transformed. Her vision went from 20% before the surgery to 100% after. She can now do the things she has always loved, without the need for extra support.
“Losing my sight not only affected my quality of life but also affected everyone around me. The surgery has transformed my life. Now I can be independent again and enjoy life to the full.”
Susan, cataract patient
