Cataract surgery involves the removal of the cloudy natural lens of the eye (the cataract) and replacing it with a carefully selected intraocular lens (IOL).

There are several designs of intraocular lenses (IOLs) available, each having their own strengths in performance. The choice of lens has a major influence on the outcome of cataract extraction surgery and whether glasses would be required afterwards. Whilst the NHS offers an excellent service for cataract surgery, there is rarely an option for choosing your intraocular lens, meaning that glasses will almost certainly be required. 

Cataract surgery is one of the oldest surgical procedures recorded, and fortunately for us, over the years technological advances have made it one of the safest and most frequently performed procedures worldwide.

Cataract surgery is a surgical procedure to remove the cloudy natural lens of the eye (the cataract) and replace it with an artificial lens, or intraocular lens implant (IOL). Lens implants are specially engineered to provide focussing power to suit the individual, and this means that lots of patients who have cataract surgery find that they are less reliant on glasses, especially for distance, than they were beforehand.

The procedure usually takes about 10-15 minutes to do under a local anaesthetic, and isn’t painful. There is usually a swift recovery of vision. The procedure is very safe, but there are some risks involved, as with any operation (see below).

There is more information about the consultation and the day of treatment in the Cataract Surgery booklet.