A 67-year-old has undergone a life-changing operation which she says is "nothing short of a miracle".

Bookworm Cathy Watson, from Frittenden, became the 600th patient to receive NHS cataract surgery at the Optegra Eye Clinic in Kings Hill.

Cathy has always loved reading, even from a young age. However, in recent years the crime and historical fiction books she enjoys have become cloudier.

Despite having excellent vision, she hadn't had an eye test in a while, with her first pair of low prescription glasses being prescribed five years ago.

After attending an opticians, Cathy was shocked to be told she had cataracts in both eyes – one of which was particularly severe.

“I felt almost blind in that eye,” she added.

Cathy says the cataract had come on very quickly, having had such good vision all her life.

Alongside a current medical condition affecting her mobility, her eyes were also causing her to lose balance. With four small dogs at home, this was a concern.

She was referred to the Optegra Eye Clinic, where she given a pre-op test appointment and then a date within a couple of weeks for her first surgery.

The retired special needs teaching assistant was particularly anxious about the procedure.

"On the day, I was a bag of nerves but I cannot praise the staff at Optegra more highly," she explained. "They literally could not have done more for me.

"I don’t know how but they managed to calm me down, settle me, even holding my hand throughout.

"And before I knew it, it was all done. I could not believe it and was so relieved.”

Within a few days Cathy’s vision was transformed.

She said: “I feel as though I have gone from watching life on an old television to now having ultra-HD.

"While I cannot get out much, my reading is so much easier and I can enjoy the colours in my garden so much more.

“It is nothing short of a miracle – I would never have believed my vision could be this clear.

"It was like a fog lifting. And the colours! It's amazing. Also, my balance seems so much better since the op.”

Optegra Eye Clinic Maidstone is part of Optegra Eye Health Care and is a specialist provider of ophthalmic services.

The new clinic in Kings Hill Avenue purely offers NHS cataract surgery for patients.

Optometrist Aine Rice said: “It is important to have regular eye tests, to keep on top of eye health and also to spot any complications early.

"For Cathy, her cataract in the one eye was really quite severe, and so by removing that and replacing it with an artificial lens, we have been able to improve her quality of life.

“The surgery is a very fast procedure, and pain free so we would encourage local people to ask for referral – we can help make a huge difference.

Cathy added: “I know it is daunting and we can be anxious about our eyes but please don’t worry.

"Please don’t hold back but get it done as quickly as possible.”