At Optegra, cataract removal is safe, efficient and highly effective, with many of our patients commenting that it was one of the best decisions they ever made.

Cataract surgery is typically performed under local anaesthetic on an out-patient basis and can take less than 20 minutes per eye. Optegra’s consultation to procedure timescale is one of the fastest available, so why wait to get your vision back?

We want you to feel as calm and comfortable as possible throughout your visit and we will go out of our way to give you complete peace of mind. The cataract procedure is simple, with a rapid recovery time.

1: Your in-depth consultation
Your first visit to your specialist Optegra eye hospital will set the tone for the whole experience: reassuringly rigorous, with lots of opportunity for you to ask questions.

At the first consultation our medical team will spend time examining your eyes in detail. Your consultant will talk you through the Cataract treatment in detail and answer all your questions.

Please have the following with you:

• Any glasses that you wear and your current optical prescription (if you have one).
• A list of your current medications you are taking.
• The dosage of some medications may need to be altered before your surgery, you will be advised of this at your pre-operative assessment.

This is a good time to ask any questions you may have about the operation. 

2: Before the procedure
When you arrive at the Optegra eye hospital, your consultant and our expert medical team will be waiting to welcome you. We want you to feel completely at ease and have plenty of time to ask your surgeon any questions that may be on your mind.

Prior to beginning the procedure, anaesthetic eye drops will be administered in a calm, relaxing environment. Once the drops have taken effect, your consultant will begin the treatment.

3: During the procedure
The operation takes around 20 minutes to complete per eye.

The cataract surgery involves your consultant removing the natural lens from the eye and replacing it  with a new permanent artificial lens (implant) specifically selected to give you the highest quality of vision possible for you and your lifestyle.

4: Rest and recovery
Afterwards, you will be taken into our comfortable recovery suite, where you can relax, rest and enjoy some refreshments until you feel 100% ready to return home – most cataract patients are ready to leave within an hour of the operation being completed.

After a quiet evening at home and a good night’s sleep, your eyes will be feeling much more comfortable and the next morning you may notice an improvement in your vision which will continue to improve within 48-72 hours.

You can then start enjoying life again with clear vision.

And, of course, your consultant or a member of the Optegra team will be on hand to provide you with any advice or reassurance you require.

5: Your aftercare
The consultant who performs your cataract procedure will contact you the next day and you will see him for a follow-up consultation the following week, to check on your progress and assess the results. Most cataract patients can resume their everyday tasks within a few days of their surgery, although it is advisable to keep clear of physically demanding activities in the early recovery stage. Your consultant will discuss with you what you should and shouldn’t do in order to achieve the best possible outcome for you. To help your eye recover naturally, drops will be provided and you will be given a 24 hour contact number.

Why not book your comprehensive consultation with one of Optegra’s expert eye surgeons who can answer all your questions? 

What if you wear glasses or contact lenses?

If you have a cataract and wish to reduce your dependence on reading and distance glasses,  Optegra can also give you the additional benefit of vision correction with Clarivu, Total Vision Correction.  Clarivu is a sophisticated development of the cataract procedure which can correct both long and short-sightedness and eliminates cataracts in one simple, permanent lens replacement procedure.   

Visit Clarivu.com to book your Clarivu consultation at the Optegra eye hospital in Birmingham, Manchester, Solent, Surrey or Yorkshire or call 0800 368 4848 to find out more.