Cataract surgery requires a referral from an Optometrist or General Practitioner for people whose vision is impaired by cataracts. It is a safe procedure with high success rates.
Cataract surgery is recommended for people whose vision is impaired by cataracts.
Approximately 25% of people over the age of 65 will have some cataract formations. Currently, the only way to correct a cataract is surgery and it is one of the most common and successful surgical procedures in Australia. Typically cataract surgery involves:
Cataract surgery is safe procedure with a high success rate and is undertaken in a day hospital environment.
Cataract surgery is a day surgery procedure, usually performed under light sedation. On most occasions the patient can go home that day and vision will improve rapidly over the next 48-72 hours. It does not involve stitches around the eye. Patients regain vision and can resume normal activities quickly following surgery. Only one eye is operated on at a time. The second eye may be treated the day after depending on the rate of recovery.
The surgery involves creating a tiny incision on the cornea of the eye and removing the clouded natural lens of the eye, replacing it with an artificial lens.
Intraocular lenses are implanted during cataract surgery and are a fundamental requirement for its success.
Intraocular lenses, or IOL's, are designed to provide the eye with a focal point determined as part of the pre-operative assessment. Most commonly, the focus is set for distance, but it may also be set for near. Some lenses may also provide more than one focal point to minimise dependency on glasses. Critical to achieving the intended outcome is selecting the correct power and style of the intraocular lens. This requires a series of measurements and calculations prior to any surgery. Your ophthalmologist will conduct several tests and recommend the best solution for your individual eye health and predicted visual outcomes.
An important consideration with intraocular lenses is the correction of any potential astigmatism that might be expected after the surgery. All lens types have the capacity to correct astigmatism. The intraocular lens best suited to your eye and individual circumstances will be discussed with you as part of your surgical assessment.
Ophthalmologist, Cataract and Refractive Surgeon
MEDICAL DIRECTOR - BMBS, FRANZCO
Consulting at Adelaide Eye & Laser Centre.
Ophthalmologist, Cataract and Refractive Surgeon
MBChB, PGDipOph, PhD, FRANZCO
Consulting at Adelaide Eye & Laser Centre and
Ashford Advanced Eye Care
Opthalmologist, Cataract and Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon
MD, MSURG, FRANZCO
Consulting at Adelaide Eye & Laser Centre (cataract assessments) and Eyemedics