INTRODUCTION
Cataract is a very common condition, accounting for
approximately half of the cases of blindness found worldwide
(World Health Organization 1991, Potter 1994). The
incidence of cataract increases with age and it is estimated
by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (1995) that
about 70% of people over the age of 75 are affected.
Cataract adversely affects quality of life (Rose et al.
1997a). In the developed world, it is routinely treated by
surgery with excellent results. For example, in the United
Kingdom (UK), it is estimated that 80% of patients will