My 11 year old Cocker Spaniel has developed a cataract, I am wondering if other dog owners had any experiences they could share?

yes, when I was a kid our dog had cataracts and he went blind. didn't seem to affect him much though until he got really old and got lost in a snowstorm for days which ultimately contributed to his death.
If you live where there is that possibility I'd say keep the dog on a leash when it needs to go out so it won't get lost. On good days we didn't have this problem because he could smell his way home.

Our dog had cataracts and was pretty much blind. It was a shame. He would always be bumping into things. We planned on getting him surgery but the vet said it was better off if we didn't because he was too old to be put to sleep during surgery. He was about 13, I think. I'm not sure if 11 is too old or not but if it is, it might be better not to do it. Hope everything works out.