Final answer:
A patient in need of cataract surgery should be referred to an ophthalmologist, who is trained to perform eye surgeries and treat conditions like cataracts, which cloud the eye's lens.
Step-by-step explanation:
A patient needing cataract surgery should be referred to an ophthalmologist. This is because ophthalmologists are specialized medical doctors trained to perform eye surgeries, including cataract removal. Cataracts cause a clouding in the lens of the eye, leading to impaired vision. Once the cloudy lens is removed, it's often replaced with an artificial internal lens to restore vision. Patients with nearsightedness or farsightedness may have the power of the intraocular lens adjusted to correct their vision, potentially allowing them to see clearly at a distance without glasses. However, whether they can read without glasses depends on whether they also have presbyopia.