Cataract Surgery Treatment
A one off treatment that lasts a lifetime. Why wait?
What are cataracts?
The natural lens inside the eye (crystalline lens) is normally transparent. When cloudiness occurs in the crystalline lens it’s called a cataract. This cloudiness reduces and scatters light entering the eye so images aren’t focused properly at the back of the eye (retina). Things appear blurred and driving, particularly at night, becomes unsafe. Cataracts are painless, but as they slowly worsen, vision – both near and distant – becomes increasingly poor and glasses can no longer help you see well enough.
It’s a common misconception that cataract is a growth of film across the eye. The changes are actually happening inside. And while these changes are generally age-related, there are a few medical conditions which can predispose you to develop cataract at a younger age.
Am I suitable for cataract surgery?
If you have a little blurriness but no difficulty carrying out everyday tasks, surgery may not be necessary. However, cataracts will get worse over time. Because the symptoms are gradual and painless, many people don’t realise they have a cataract until it becomes advanced and a mature cataract is more difficult to remove. The indication for cataract surgery varies from person to person – people with highly visually demanding jobs might choose to have their cataracts operated on at a much earlier stage.
If you want to enjoy all the benefits of good vision, it makes sense to get your cataracts removed sooner rather than later so you can:
- Improve your golf or bowling performance and enjoyment of other activities
- Enjoy a better reading, knitting and TV watching experience
- In most cases be free of spectacles for distance vision and possibly reading too with the use of premium multifocal implants.
Reduce risk of falls and accidents.
About cataract surgery
Cataract surgery can be performed as a day surgery in under 20 minutes. The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic drops along with some sedation administered by an experienced anaesthetist. For patients with cataracts in both eyes, surgery is not normally performed on both eyes at the same time.
During the procedure, the cataract is removed from the eye and replaced, through a small 2-3mm self-sealing incision, with an artificial plastic lens. Eye drops are used post-surgery for the following few weeks.
Replacement lens options for cataract surgery
Depending on your requirements, Dr Gupta will recommend one of several types of premium intraocular lens to bring you improved vision. Lens implant options include:
- standard monofocal lens (generally focused for distance)
- monofocal toric lenses (to correct astigmatism)
- multifocal lenses (to give reading vision)
- multifocal toric lenses (to correct astigmatism and give reading vision).
Dr Gupta will explain and discuss your best option answering any questions during your consultation.
