cataract surgery
The Operation
The purpose of surgery is to replace the cloudy lens with a clear lens implant inside the eye. The current gold standard technique of cataract removal is called ‘clear corneal phacoemulsification’ which allows the removal of the cloudy lens through a tiny 2.2 mm (or less) incision in the cornea. The thin clear membrane holding the cataract in place is left intact to support the new lens implant. It is unusual to require a stitch in the eye at the end of the operation because the incision is so small it is nearly always self-sealing.
Several measurements of the eye are made in order to calculate the strength of focusing power for the lens implant that is to replace the cataract. This is important because it allows us to leave the eye to be left in the desired optical state after the operation. In some cases it may be desirable to leave the operated eye in a similar optical state to that of the other eye. In most cases however, the standard aim is for a neutral optical state so that reasonable distance vision can be achieved without glasses. In these cases it should be remembered however, that glasses will probably still be required for any close work and reading.
The anaesthetic with the lowest level of complications is eye drop anaesthesia. Although eye drop anaesthesia does not numb the eye completely it does provide very effective numbness. Occasional pressure on the eye is all that is likely to be felt at certain points during the operation but sharp pain is very uncommonly reported by most patients.
In large studies minor ('any') complications of surgery have been reported to occur in around 7.5%* of operations, with the more serious 'posterior capsular rupture' complication occurring in around 4.4%* of surgeries. Most such complications do not lead to adverse outcomes if recognised and dealt with appropriately. Serious sight threatening complications occur much more rarely, probably in around one per thousand operations. Cataract surgery in expert hands is a very safe and effective procedure that really can transform the quality of life of patients suffering from the effects of cataract formation.
View my Cataract surgery outcomes by using the link below and see how my outcomes compare to published data.
Please look through the next sections that describe the different ways in which cataract surgery today can be customised to the individual patient. You can also take an online simple questionairre test to determine how suited you may be to a customised cataract operation
*Royal College of Ophthalmologist's National Survey of Cataract Surgery, 1997/98
- Learn About Customised Cataract Surgery and what it can mean for you
- Learn about how you could ditch your reading glasses with Bifocal lens implants
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- View Mr Rehmans Cataract Surgery Outcomes
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Results
