Private cataract surgery

What cataract surgery involves?

A cataract is cloudiness of the natural lens (crystalline), which sits just behind the pupil and helps to focus light on the retina. Cataract surgery involves replacing the misty natural lens with a small, clear synthetic implant called an intraocular lens (IOL). The focusing power of the IOL can be chosen to suit your eye.

Which types of intraocular lenses are available?

IOL implantation is a bit like building your glasses or contact lenses into your eyes. There are two main IOL types:

· Monofocal IOLs – monofocal IOLs most commonly aims to reduce spectacle dependence for distance (driving) vision. Reading glasses are required for short distance and intermediate distance.

· Multifocal & EDOF (premium) IOLs – multifocal and EDOF (extended depth of focus) IOLs aim to reduce spectacle dependence for a wider range of activities, including intermediate (computer screens) and near (reading) vision.

What is Refractive Lens exchange and who is suitable?

If your main aim is greater spectacle freedom, and you are not yet having any difficulties with your visual quality in glasses or contact lenses, there is an option of achieving this by removing your natural crystalline lens and replace it by a premium intraocular lens,  the operation is called refractive lens exchange (RLE). Many people, particularly those with early stage cataracts, choose this option as an alternative to laser vision correction.

If you are over 50 years of age and have a spectacle prescription higher than the normal range for laser eye surgery, you are likely to be suitable for RLE.

Almost any level of myopia (short sight) or hyperopia (long sight) can be corrected by cataract surgery (RLE), and IOLs with built in astigmatism correction are available. Lens implantation techniques can be combined with laser eye surgery in suitable patients to extend the range of astigmatism treatment or fine-tune the focus outcome.

You may not be suitable for multifocal or premium IOL implantation if you have pre-existing problems with your eye health.

What are the risks of cataract surgery?

In all forms of eye surgery, problems or complications can occur during the operation or afterwards in the healing period. Mr Alfonso Vasquez-Perez has performed over 2000 cataract surgeries, his complication rate is well below the national standard and he keeps an exceptionally high safety record.

More commonly, complications can be corrected with changes in medication or additional surgery. Permanent, serious loss of vision as a result of problems with cataract surgery is highly uncommon and can occur in approximately 1 in 1000 patients. 

Second operations may be required to correct a complication from the initial surgery including laser vision correction to fine tune the focus and improve the visual result after cataract surgery.

The commonest reason for visual deterioration after cataract surgery is posterior capsule opacification (PCO). This is a gradual misting over the membrane over which the IOL is sitting, which affects about 20% of patients after cataract surgery. PCO may occur months or years after surgery, and is normally treated successfully with a one-off minor laser procedure called YAG laser capsulotomy.