Cataract surgery

Light exercises like walking, stretching and yoga should be fine a week or two after surgery.

More strenuous exercise like running, lifting weights and intense cycling should be delayed for several weeks until your symptoms have improved.

If you’re unsure, speak to your care team for advice.

Cataract surgery, also known as small incision cataract surgery (SICS), works by removing the cloudy lens in your eye and replacing it with a new artificial one.

Your ophthalmologist does this by making a tiny cut in your cornea, the part of the eye which sits in front of the lens.

They then insert a probe through the incision to break up the cloudy lens using ultrasound. This is a process called phacoemulsification.

After removing the lens pieces from the capsule surrounding it, your ophthalmologist inserts your new artificial lens.

We assess everyone individually to make sure you’re getting the right treatment. Phacoemulsification and SICS surgery might not be the right option for you, particularly if the cataract is quite advanced.

If so, your ophthalmologist may suggest extracapsular surgery. This is where a slightly bigger incision is made in your cornea and the entire lens removed in one piece. This type of cataract surgery is less common than SICS.

Intracapsular surgery, the complete removal of the lens and capsule, may be necessary for some patients but is rare.

Cataract lens replacement surgery requires a local anaesthetic (eye drops) and takes about 20-30 minutes to complete.

Although you’re awake and can see light and some movement, you won’t be able to see what the ophthalmologist is doing.

How long it takes to recover from cataract surgery depends on how fit and healthy you are before your surgery. Cataract surgery is a quick and painless procedure.

You should be able to go home on the same day you have the surgery. After cataract surgery, your eye will be covered, and the dressing is normally removed a day or two after your procedure while at home. For a few weeks after surgery, you may experience a gritty feeling in the affected eye, with watering, eye redness or blurred vision for a few days.

Your aftercare plan may include medications like antibiotic eye drops to avoid an infection. Your care team can give you tips on certain exercises to strengthen the eye or diet and lifestyle tips to improve your general eye health.

Our team of experts including your ophthalmologist and ophthalmic-trained nurse will help you get the most from your treatment. They’ll give you advice before, during and after your surgery to help support your recovery every step of the way.

Cataract surgery is a relatively straightforward and safe procedure that can be performed without the need to stay overnight.

Post-surgery your vision should be much clearer with better focus and the ability to tolerate bright lights. The colours in your vision should appear brighter.

Depending on the replacement lens implanted you may find you no longer need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses and conditions like astigmatism are corrected.

If you have any other eye conditions such as glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy, you may still have limited vision even if your cataract surgery was successful.

The most common side effects of cataract surgery are a feeling of grittiness in the eye, redness and blurring of vision post-surgery.

Grittiness

It’s very common for the affected eye to feel slightly gritty for several weeks after surgery. This is because the surface of the eye has been disrupted and some of the corneal nerves have been cut.

Redness

On the day after your surgery, your eye will be quite red which is completely normal. The redness should disappear after a few days.

Blurred Vision

You’re also likely to experience blurred vision which should improve throughout the day and be even better the following day.

Depending on the kind of work you do, you should be able to return to work a few days after surgery.

Based on your biometric test results taken at our specialist eye clinic, your ophthalmologist will discuss the best lens options for you and your individual needs.

You’ll be given a local anaesthetic in the form of eye drops during the procedure which should wear off within a few hours.

Throughout your time with us, you’ll have your own dedicated care team who’ll help you get back safely on your feet.

Cataract removal is a same-day procedure, so you won’t need to stay overnight.

Once home, your care nurse will be in touch to advise you about your eye shield dressing, medications or other concerns you may have.

A follow-up appointment with your consultant will be arranged a week or two after your surgery.