FOR thousands of people in East Lancashire -- most of them elderly -- life is spoiled because their sight is clouded by cataracts.

But while relief may be available in the form of surgery that frequently dramatically improves victims' vision -- and, in turn, their quality of life, as once again they can read newspapers, watch TV and go out without difficulty -- it is often a long time coming.

For waiting times in many cases can be as long as two years.

How marvellous it is, then, that this ordeal is to be dispelled for cataract sufferers in our region as health chiefs take a new approach to treatment that promises to slash waiting times.

For the NHS trusts which operate Blackburn and Burnley's hospitals and already run optical health care on a shared basis are to become the first in the country to introduce a new system which means cataract victims will be sent to eye surgeons directly by their opticians.

This will cut out the need for them to see their family doctors before they can be referred to a consultant. The new arrangement will mean that from November 26 the task of counselling patients about cataract surgery and treatment will largely be conducted by opticians -- 90 per cent of whom in East Lancashire are already signed up for the switch .

The bonus for patients is that eye specialists will need to spend less time seeing patients before their surgery takes place and will be able to conduct more operations and shortening the waiting lists. And a spin-off benefit is that the caseloads of GPs will be cut, enabling other patients in turn to be seen sooner.

All round, the benefits are real. And the simplicity of the new system -- removing a protocol rung on the patients' ladder to the operating theatre -- is such that the only grouse is that of why no-one ever thought of it before.

But now that it is happening, thousands of East Lancashire people will gain -- as will millions nationwide as our region's pioneering system is copied everywhere.