Cataract Surgery

Accurate measurements of the eye taken prior to surgery allow an IOL to be implanted which can correct for long or short sightedness and astigmatism so that as well as clear vision, vision can be optimized without the need to wear spectacles for normal distance vision.

Prior to the development of cataract, surgery to replace the lens can be employed to improve the vision by implanting an IOL, which can correct a high spectacle prescription; this procedure is known as RLE.

To improve the range of vision and depth of focus, multifocal lens implants can be used to reduce the requirement for reading spectacles as well as provide clear vision for distance visual tasks e.g. driving or watching the television. Although spectacles may still be required for some visual tasks, many patients rarely require spectacles after this form of surgery.

On the day of surgery and once in the hospital you will be given eye drops to dilate the pupil. The area around your eye will be washed and cleansed. The operation is usually performed under a local or topical anesthetic, is painless and lasts less than 10 minutes in most cases. The technology used is called phaco-emulsification and employs ultrasound energy to liquefy the lens which can then be aspirated. A new lens is then inserted using an injection system and is unfolded and positioned within the eye. We typically do not use stitches during surgery which allows for a faster recovery.

You will need to allow 3-4 hours for your hospital stay so that we can run through your treatment and aftercare with you. You will need someone to collect you or we can arrange transport for you.

After the operation you will rest for a while and have refreshments then you can go home. You will be given a dressing pack to swab the eye clean the following day, some antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops to apply at home after the surgery.

Your vision will be slightly blurred for a few days while your eye heals. It is not uncommon to feel some discomfort, usually a feeling that something is in the eye until your eye settles but there should be no pain. After a couple of days you will start to notice a significant improvement in your vision. You can quickly return to many everyday activities, although heavy lifting or other strenuous activities should be avoided for a week. The healing eye needs time to adjust so that it can focus properly with the other eye, especially if the other eye has a cataract. Ask your surgeon or optometrist when you can resume driving. You will see the surgeon again after 2 weeks and will visit your optometrist for new glasses if needed after 6 weeks.

Once you have been given your new glasses, you may notice that everything seems a lot brighter than you remember. Colours may be sharper and may have a blue-ish tinge. In bright sunlight you may feel you are looking through rose-coloured glasses. These colour tinges are normal and are because you are now looking at the world through a clear lens that is no longer cloudy. Within a few months your brain will get used to your new clear vision and these colours should go away.

Oculentis
The LENTIS Comfort intraocular Oculentis offers an innovative lens concept which meets the high refractive outcome demands of patients undergoing cataract treatment.

Although a standard IOL treats cataracts to a satisfactory level, they do not satisfy the desire for increased spectacle independence when using screens and digital devices.”Normal” reading glasses are usually aligned to about 40 cm however this is not the ideal viewing distance for screen which are about 60-80 cm. This means that despite cataract surgery, patients still have to rely on special and expensive lenses for the intermediate range. The special design of LENTIS Comfort is optimized for long-distance and intermediate range and provides very good results. This will give cataract patients more spectacle independence in everyday situations, such as computer work, while shopping or while driving.

• Excellent visual outcome in the intermediate and long-range
  Improved contrast and depth of field for an optimal night vision
  Natural picture quality and colour perception
  Aberrationsneutral
  Computer or bifocals no longer necessary
  High patient satisfaction

Trifocal
The trifocal lens provides the wearer with excellent vision not only for near and far, but also for intermediate distances from approx. 45 cm to 80 cm.

In principle, trifocal lenses are constructed and manufactured in the same way as bifocal lenses. However, they consist not only of a main lens and a segment, but also of an additional intermediate portion. The addition in this intermediate portion is approximately half that of the near portion.

• Excellent visual quality not only for far and near, but also for intermediate distances from approx. 45 cm to 80 cm
  Large field of near vision
  Segment fusing or moulding on front surface and inner toroidal surface design ensure outstanding optical quality

Symfony
The TECNIS® Symfony Extended Range of Vision IOL delivers a continuous, full range of high-quality vision with incidence of halos and glare comparable to a monofocal IOL. This technology provides patients with distance, intermediate and near vision and is available in both a Non-Toric version and a Toric version for patients with astigmatism.

• Extended range of vision
  A continuous range of high-quality vision for far, intermediate, and near distances
  Corrects chromatic aberration for enhanced contrast sensitivity