To be clear, I asked about sunglasses and the specialist said that cataracts more prevalent in people who didn't wear them when needed. Also, I asked about UV as I had prolonged exposure. He said that it was infra red that caused cataracts. So, this should be remembered when choosing.
If you are considering whether to go private. You can choose a varifocal private and you can get them done when the symptoms aren't so florid. These appear to be the only advantages. At the moment, the NHS is very quick when they agree you need them. The quality of the work is excellent and you have all the resources of the NHS if it all goes tits up.