Yes, indeed cataracts can cause deteriorating eyesight, as you point out.
These days cataract surgeries are done frequently and are quite successful. You want a good surgeon, and also do some research on different types of lenses that can be implanted, when they take out your cloudy one.
Check out both an ophthalmologist who specializes in cataract surgey, and a retina specialist.
I’ve had four eye surgeries. Two each eye. VA. Currently recovering from the last to the left eye. Both original replacement lenses had to be replaced again with external lenses as both slipped down, and out of line of sight, thus the two later surgeries.
Apparently the muscles that hold the lenses in place somehow failed, and the lenses dropped.