People waiting for cataract surgery in Somerset should see waiting times reduce, according to the NHS.

NHS Somerset said 8,000 people are currently living with cataracts, which cause cloudy vision.

A new private eye hospital has opened in a former office block in Taunton, which said it will treat up to 5,000 NHS patients a year.

SpaMedica said it is the largest NHS cataract surgery provider in the UK.

Cataracts are cloudy patches on the lens of their eye which get worse in time and can ultimately cause blindness.

As well as offering cataract surgery, the new hospital will also offer outpatient treatments including YAG laser, to correct a form of clouding that can occur after cataract surgery.

Samantha Christiansen, Hospital Manager, SpaMedica Taunton said: “We’ve very excited to offer our services, reduce that waiting time and give patients their vision again.

“They don’t realise how they’ve lived with it for so long, until that cataract is removed, that their life is completely different – it’s unbelievable,” she said.

Julian Griggs, director of integration, SpaMedica, said the company is aiming to be a good partner to the local NHS.

“We’ve put in a lot of investment to these sites to make sure we complement the NHS, we give the best treatment to the patients.

“It’s easy to give outstanding treatment when you’ve designed the site specifically for those kind of treatments,” he said.

An NHS Somerset spokesperson said SpaMedica is now one of a list of NHS and independent sector providers that patients in Somerset can choose from.

“[It] will help meet the demand for treatment due to its convenient location and, anticipated short waiting times, as a new site,” they said.