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Cataract Surgery
 Treatements
  Cataract Surgery

What is a Cataract?

The crystalline lens within the human eye is generally transparent and allows uninterrupted transmission of light to form clear images of the outside world. When this crystalline lens becomes cloudy due to ageing changes, the vision becomes blurred and this is termed as the cataract.

What are the symptoms?

The development of cataract in one or both eyes could present with visual blurring to distance, reading or driving vision. Often, patients report blurring, eye strain or glare symptoms with early cataracts followed by progressive painless decrease in distance vision over a few months and up to a year. Patients who pursue hobbies such as golf, bird watching, cycling, tennis, driving, painting or playing musical instruments often are sensitive to visual alterations resulting from early cataract and their effects on the performance of the chosen profession or activity.

What is involved in cataract surgery?

Cataract surgery involves removal of the cloudy crystalline lens using a small incision technique and replacement with an artificial intra ocular lens. The procedure is undertaken under a local anaesthetic and is a pain free operation. The surgery takes approximately 20 minutes and is performed as a day case procedure without the need for overnight admission. Occasionally a general anaesthetic might be required for the procedure.

What are the intraocular lens (IOL) choices?

Cataract removal should be followed by replacement of an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) to restore vision. The last two decades had seen significant innovations in the design of intraocular lenses that allows customisation of vision to match the requirement of the patient. The choice of intraocular lens depends of the patient’s pre-existing refractive error (short sight, long sight, presbyopia or astigmatism) to achieve best vision possible for distance and near following cataract removal surgery.

The types of intraocular lenses are described below:

Treatment options
Lens replacement surgery
Premium Intraocular lens
Flower
Femtosecond laser assisted surgery
Flower
Corneal crosslinking
Flower
Corneal transplantation

FAQ

Monofocal IOL 

A monofocal IOL is a common form of IOL that would allow good sight at distance and patients will need to use specs or varifocal glasses for all reading tasks including computer work and close reading. This is the IOL that is used commonly in all NHS cataract procedures in the UK. 

Premium IOL’s 

These are advanced optic IOL’s aimed to correct astigmatism, presbyopia, short sight and hyperopia to provide maximum spectacle independence for distance and reading for patients undergoing cataract surgery. The types of premium IOL are Toric IOL, Multifocal IOL and Multifocal toric IOL. 

Based on the pre-operative examination and patients own refractive eye status (myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism), Mr Rajan will be able to advice on the suitable premium IOL that would benefit your eye condition.

Toric IOL corrects pre-existing corneal astigmatism and have excellent potential to improve quality of the distance vision without the need for spectacles or contact lenses.

Multifocal IOL aims at providing good distance vision following cataract surgery and at the same time allows reading vision without the requirement for spectacles. Multifocal IOL comes in different designs and power to cater for patients preference to see clearly at 30 or 60 cms (reading and computer use) without the need for near vision glasses. Multifocal toric IOL’s have the combined ability to provide good distance acuity and reading function together with the correction of pre-existing astigmatism.


You initial visit to see Mr Rajan could be arranged by calling the appointments booking line 01223 266990 at the Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital. Please read the following prior to your visit and bring along A. Spectacles and spectacle prescription from your optometrist B. If you are a contact lens wearer and requiring cataract surgery, then you need to ensure that you had not used your contact lenses for 1 week for soft lenses and 2 weeks for rigid gas permeable lenses prior to your visit. This is aimed at getting accurate measurements of your eye during the consultation visit. You could bring your contact lenses in a contact lens case. C. Your routine medication list and GP referral letter if possible. A GP letter is not mandatory to initiate an eye consultation but always helpful. D. Please allow 1.30 hours for your consultation which would involve various eye tests and biometry by the clinic team prior to seeing Mr Rajan. Your pupils are likely to be dilated with eye drops during the first consultation, so it is not advisable to drive a car or motor vehicle following consultation on the same day. Please make your own arrangements for travel prior to planning a consultation. Mr Rajan will meet you in his consultation room and go through your visual difficulties, He will undertake a detailed eye exam and will discuss treatment options with you on the visit, followed by a written letter to describe the diagnosis and treatment advice. This letter will be copied to your GP and optometrist to benefit you for shared care management of your eye condition in future and for your GP records.
Surgery You will be given a time for admission to the day case unit at Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital. You shouldn’t be driving yourself to this surgery appointment. The nurses at the surgery day case unit will receive you and prepare the eye with appropriate eye drops. Mr Rajan will see you prior to surgeryand complete the consent process. The surgery will take place in the operating theatre under local anaesthetic and sometimes a general anaesthetic might be required based on individual patient profile. If you require a general anaesthetic, this will be discussed and arranged for at the pre-assessment stage with instructions for fasting etc. Mr Rajan will undertake the procedure for you and the nurses will provide all post opinstructions with eye drops prior to discharge from the hospital. Please allow 4-6 hours for the surgery appointment and plan your travel arrangements. If you have a planned in patient stay in the hospital over night, you will be discharged the following day with advice and medications. Post operative period You will receive a post operative appointment to see Mr Rajan within a few days following surgery and during this visit, Mr Rajan will undertake vision and eye examination to ensure that you are recovering well following surgery. You will be advised to use eye drops as per the prescription for up to 4 weeks. It is common to expect blurred vision in the first 48 hours following surgery and vision will gradually improve over 2-3 weeks period. During this time, it is advisable to avoid any visual strain such as prolonged reading, driving or computer use. Regular application of eye drops is essential with good hygiene. There should be no pressure on the operated eye such as eye lid rubbing. You will be given an advice line to the ward and secretary (01223 266940 or 01223 266913) to call for any postoperative concerns and Mr Rajan will advice you accordingly.
What our patients say
 
Phone:
07871660645
info@cambridgevisionclinic.org
 
About Us

Cambridge Vision Clinic based in Cambridge, UK features an excellent team of eye care professionals offering a personalised, safe approach to patients with cataract and eye disorders for over 10 years.

CAMBRIDGE VISION CLINIC

Email: info@cambridgevisionclinic.org
Phone: 07871660645
Fax: 01223 266 958