Arrive and prepare
Drops are given to enlarge the pupil. The team confirms the eye, the lens and your details.
Cataract surgery
How modern cataract surgery works, what the day involves, and how the lens is chosen for your eye.
The operation
How modern cataract surgery works.
The cloudy lens is removed through a very small opening and replaced with a clear artificial lens that stays in the eye permanently.
The technique is called phacoemulsification. A fine probe uses ultrasound to break the cataract into tiny pieces, which are drawn out through the same opening. The new lens is folded, inserted and opened into the natural lens capsule. The incision is so small that it usually seals without stitches.
Cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed operations in Australia. It is day surgery, one eye at a time, usually with a gap of a few weeks between eyes.
At a glance
- Day surgery; home the same day
- Usually under thirty minutes in theatre
- Drops or gel anaesthetic, with sedation if wanted
- A permanent lens chosen for your eye
- One eye at a time
What to expect
The day of surgery, step by step.
Anaesthetic
Usually anaesthetic drops or gel, often with light sedation so you are relaxed and comfortable. An injection around the eye is used when it suits the eye or the person better.
The operation
Through a tiny incision, ultrasound gently breaks up the cloudy lens so it can be removed. A folded artificial lens is placed in the same position and unfolds. Most operations take less than half an hour.
Recovery area
A short rest with a drink before you go home with a protective shield and drops. Someone needs to take you home.
The first days
Vision often improves within a day or two and settles over the following weeks. A review confirms the eye is healing as expected.
Comfort
Anaesthetic, matched to you.
Most people have cataract surgery awake, comfortable and unaware of the detail.
Anaesthetic drops or gel numb the surface of the eye. Many people also have light sedation from an anaesthetist, so the experience is calm rather than clinical. For some eyes, or for people who would rather not be aware of the operation at all, an injection around the eye or deeper sedation is the better choice.
The approach is decided with you beforehand, based on the eye, your general health and how you feel about the procedure. It is not one size fits all.
Options, in plain terms
- Drops or gel, with or without sedation
- An injection around the eye for a fully numb eye
- Deeper sedation when it suits the person
General description only. The right option depends on the eye and the individual.
The lens
Choosing the lens that goes in.
Single-piece acrylic intraocular lens
The central optic is the clear part of the lens. The curved arms, called haptics, help support it inside the eye.
Compare lens designs and optional features. Surface details and tint are enhanced for illustration; actual lenses vary.
Compare lens types, rotate and explore optional features.
Monofocal
Sharp focus at one distance, usually far. Glasses for reading.
→Toric
Corrects astigmatism, and can be combined with other designs.
→Extended range and multifocal
Reduce dependence on glasses across distances, with trade-offs that suit some eyes and not others.
→There is no single best lens. The choice follows your eye, including the health of the retina, and what you want your vision to do day to day.
Intraocular lens choices → Refractive lens exchange →Retina-aware planning
Cataract surgery when the eye has other conditions.
Many people have more than one thing going on. The plan should account for all of it.
Epiretinal membrane, macular hole, macular degeneration, previous vitrectomy or retinal surgery, high myopia, glaucoma and earlier laser vision correction all change the cataract conversation. They can affect the lens choice, the timing, the technique and what to expect afterwards.
Because Dr Chen operates on both the cataract and the retina, these situations are planned as one problem rather than handed between specialists. Where appropriate, a retinal procedure and cataract surgery can be considered together.
IOL exchange and complex cataract →Situations that benefit from a whole-eye view
- Epiretinal membrane or macular hole
- Macular degeneration
- Previous vitrectomy or retinal surgery
- High short-sightedness
- Previous LASIK or other laser vision correction
After surgery
Recovery and follow-up.
Most people are back to their usual activities within a few days, with drops for a few weeks.
- Use the drops as prescribed; they settle the eye and prevent infection.
- Avoid rubbing the eye, swimming and dusty environments for the period advised.
- Reading, screens and gentle walking are fine straight away.
- Driving can resume once vision meets the standard, usually after the first review.
- Glasses, if needed, are updated once both eyes have settled.
Risks, in plain language
Cataract surgery is a common operation and most people do very well. As with any operation, complications can occur, from minor irritation to rare sight-threatening problems. These are discussed with you before surgery, together with the reasons they are uncommon and how they are managed if they arise.
General information, not a guarantee of outcome.
Common questions
What people ask before cataract surgery.
Will it hurt?
The eye is numbed and most people feel pressure or light touch rather than pain. Some grittiness for a day or two afterwards is normal.
Am I asleep?
Usually not fully. Most people have anaesthetic drops with light sedation and remember little. Deeper sedation is available when it suits the person or the eye.
Do both eyes get done at once?
Usually one eye at a time, a few weeks apart, so the first eye can settle and the plan for the second can be refined.
When can I drive and return to work?
Many people return to desk work within a few days. Driving depends on your vision meeting the standard, usually confirmed at the first review.
Can the cataract come back?
No. Some people later develop haze on the capsule behind the new lens, which is cleared with a short laser treatment in the clinic.
Ready when you are.
Appointments and enquiries through Vision Eye Institute, Chatswood.
Free Chinese Patient Liaison for VEI Sydney patients. Chinese language support through VEI (02) 9052 1886