FAQs – Warwick Eye Surgeons

faq

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Satisfaction, Our Priority

At Warwick Eye Surgeons, we believe that exceptional care and attention are the cornerstones of successful eye care.

How Safe is surgery?

Both Cataract surgery and Lens Implant surgery have a very good safety record – in fact it is one of the safest surgical procedures undertaken within the NHS. No operation is without some risk although fortunately, significant problems or complications are very rare. An important part of the consultation is the discussion of risk with the person considering surgery.

Do I have to stay overnight?

No – most patients are treated as a local anaesthetic day care procedure. You will probably be in the day care unit for approximately 2-3 hours in total

Do I have to wait until my cataract is 'ripe'?

Generally speaking I do not attempt to fix something that is not broken. I usually recommend surgery when your vision interferes with your daily life and your ability to work, read, or do the things that you enjoy. If you have a driving licence you must reach the Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) Standard. You can download their leaflet here and more details are available from the DVLA website.

Would Laser treatment be better?

Age

Most patients over the age of 50 will start to develop the need for reading glasses. With conventional cataract surgery this need is usually immediately after surgery. With refractive cataract surgery there are some ways around this. One of the common treatments is called ‘monovision’ where one eye is deliberately made slightly short-sighted so that you effectively see distance with one eye and close with the other. Some people can’t cope with the imbalance, although most find it acceptable.

HAVING TOO GREAT A SPECTACLE ERROR

The predictability of the treatment falls off significantly the more short-sighted you are. Also significantly long-sighted or hyperopic people are unsuitable because of the predictability of the treatment is poor with the shape that the laser has to create on the cornea being complex.

HAVING SOME CATARACT

It’s quite common for people to develop a degree of cataract even though they don’t notice an effect on their vision. The cataract is likely to develop, albeit slowly in some cases, but this change in the lens is often accompanied by a change in spectacle requirement. This means that an initially good result from laser treatment doesn’t last, and patients find that their spectacle requirement increase again with time.