Cataract surgery is usually painless due to the use of local anaesthesia or numbing eye drops. Patients may feel slight pressure during the procedure but no pain. After surgery, mild discomfort or irritation is common but resolves quickly.

Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery is the most precise technology available. As the procedure provides a whole new level of precision and in turn safety. The laser combines 3 dimensional imaging of the eye in real time and the femtosecond laser is directed to perform surgery very much like robotic surgery. A capsular opening is perfectly circular at 5.0mm or whatever selected by the ophthalmologist and fragmentation choices depend on how hard the lens is determined to be at consultation. The reproducibility of femtosecond laser cataract surgery reduces the bandwidth of error and in turn complications of surgery thereby increasing safety n the operated eye. Complication rates are measured at Centre for Sight and considerably lower than the national average with a posterior capsule rupture rate of less than 1:800 (vs 2% nationally)

Cataract surgery is typically a quick procedure, taking about 15-30 minutes per eye. Including preparation and recovery time, the entire process at the clinic lasts about 2-3 hours.

Cataract surgery recovery is also very quick with patients often seeing extremely well from the operated eye the next day. Vision typically continues to stabilise over the next few weeks.

The benefits of cataract surgery are usually permanent. The artificial lens does not cloud over, although some patients may develop a condition called posterior capsule opacification (PCO), which can be easily treated with a laser.

Yes this is possible if your surgeon uses a multifocal IOL such as a trifocal IOL rather than a monofocal lens and where there is considerable astigmatism a toric lens. However not all patients are suitable for the option of a multifocal IOL implant. Your cataract surgeon at Centre for Sight will at the time of consultation indicate to you whether this type of lens is suitable in your case.

Those requiring glasses or a contact lens most of their life (i.e. before their 40’s) for shortsight, longsight and/or astigmatismvusually have what is called a Refractive Disorder. This is where the length of the eye in relation to the shape of the cornea causes the point of focus at the back of the eye to fall short of or beyond the retina. Prior to development of cataract, many with a refractive error find laser eye surgery a good option for correction. However with the presence of cataract , careful calculation of the intraocular lens implant and higher performance lenses like toric IOL and multifocal IOL implants, patients are in a position to avoid glasses altogether for all activities. Learn more about Multifocal and trifocal intraocular lenses.

Those who have had previous laser refractive surgery are also able to have a multifocal lens and if you have had this performed be sure to mention this so that your care will be directed to a cataract surgeon with experience in this area.

We are no longer offering this service at Centre for Sight.