Queen Elizabeth II underwent eye surgery to remove cataract, Buckingham Palace confirms

Queen Elizabeth II had successful eye surgery to treat a cataract last month, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

The palace made the announcement yesterday after the queen was seen wearing sunglasses at a number of recent public engagements. It was not announced at the time of the procedure.

The 92-year-old monarch was treated as an outpatient at King Edward VII's hospital in central London.

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Cataract surgery has become quite common and often helps people suffering from blurry vision. The surgery involves replacing a cloudy lens inside the eye with an artificial one.

It is performed under local anaesthetic and is usually concluded within 40 minutes.