CATARACT SURGERY
what is a cataract & do i need surgery?
When the lens of the eye becomes cloudy and discoloured it is called cataract. Occasionally they can occur in the young, or due to certain drugs, but more commonly they occur as we get older.
The symptoms due to cataract depend on the type of cataract and its severity. Patients may notice increasing difficulty with fine print, or that things are just generally blurrier. Sometimes a cataract can cause halos around objects, glare, loss of contrast or a reduction in colour vision.
When vision is affected, cataract surgery can be considered. Whereas, in cases of mild cataract simply updating glasses may be sufficient.
what DOES CATARACT SURGERY INVOLVE?
Comprehensive assessment prior to surgery
The first step in correcting vision due to cataract is assessment in clinic. Not only will this allow your doctor to comprehensively assess each eye, but provides you with an opportunity to discuss the need for surgery and the procedure in detail. This appointment also allows your doctor to make biometric measurements of the eye. The specific intraocular lens that will be used to correct your vision will depend on multiple data points, most critically the length of the eye and the shape of the cornea.
Day of surgery
The procedure is performed in a hospital, typically as a day surgery procedure. At Specialist Eye we operate at Glenelg Community Hospital, Adelaide Day Surgery, Victor Harbor Private Hospital and Calvary Central Hospital.
The procedure itself is performed under local anaesthetic, most commonly with a small amount of sedation. This means the procedure will be pain free. You will have a dedicated anaesthetist to ensure that the eye is numb and you are comfortable throughout. At Specialist Eye we ask the Specialist Anaesthetic Services (SAS) group to provide anaesthesia.
The operation itself is quite quick and typically completed within 15 minutes. At the end of the procedure you will have a patch and shield covering the eye, this can be removed the following day.
Because the procedure is performed with sedation we recommend that on the day of the surgery you stay with a family member or friend.
After the operation
Once the eye patch is removed, anti Inflammatory and antibiotic drops are used routinely for 4 weeks following surgery. The eye is reviewed following the surgery by your doctor, and by our in-house optometrists. We do not dispense glasses but can give you advice on whether glasses would be useful following surgery.
what INTRAOCULAR LENS IS USED TO CORRECT VISION?
At Specialist Eye we use a diverse array of intraocular lenses to tailor to your visual needs. Please feel free to contact us for more information.
contact us
FOR PATIENTS
PHONE: 08 7070 2502
FAX: 08 8125 3880
POST: Specialist Eye, Glenelg Community Hospital,
5 Farrell St, Glenelg South SA 5045
FOR REFERRERS
Thank you for your support in the co-management of patients with us.
For urgent cases, please call the clinic directly.
Alternatively, you can email or fax through your referral.
PHONE: 08 7070 2502
FAX: 08 8125 3880
EMAIL: [email protected]