Struggling with cloudy vision from cataracts? And also need your specs for reading, or driving, or watching TV?
Imagine a world where you could go back to the vision of your youth and be able to see at all distances without glasses or contact lenses.
Well your cataract operation gives you the opportunity to achieve just that.
Did you know you have options when treating your cataract?
Cataract is the natural age-related clouding of the lens of the eye, and so vision is impacted. The only treatment is surgery, but there are options as to which type of surgery you have: cataract surgery or advanced cataract surgery.
Cataract Surgery
You can either have the standard procedure – as provided by the NHS, and also available with no waiting list at private eye hospitals such as Optegra.
During standard cataract surgery the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a standard lens. This procedure means you carry on with the glasses you already needed, whether for close-up, mid distance or long distance vision.
Advanced Cataract Surgery
However, within Optegra you also have the chance to chose to ‘upgrade’ and select the exact same surgical procedure but with a sophisticated lens which is tailored to your personal prescription.
This means you can get rid of your glasses as well as your cataract, all in one straightforward procedure!
Not available on the NHS, this is a specialist procedure available at Optegra – but the good news is that if you have private medical insurance, the ‘cataract’ element will be covered by your insurance, and so you will only have to pay for the ‘upgraded’ element i.e. the tailored lens.
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Making your decision
If you are one of the many adults to be diagnosed with cataract, do not worry. The procedure is pain free, brief and will transform your vision.
The key thing is to make an informed decision as to which treatment you would like in advance as – once your surgery is complete – changing your lens implant is far from straight forward and rarely performed.
Your consultant ophthalmic surgeon and optometrist team at Optegra will help you make a decision at your free consultation. They will ask questions about your lifestyle, your visual requirements and combine that will medical tests on your eyes, to make a recommendation on your treatment options and of course, answer any questions you may have.
Mr Alex Shortt, consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Optegra, says:
“We are passionate that our patients make an informed choice about their treatment. Cataract is a very common condition affecting one in three adults aged over 65 years, and increasingly affecting younger people also.
“Surgery is the only treatment option, to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial, crystal clear lens – yet many do not realise there is a version of this surgery where the new lens can be tailored to their exact prescription.
“This can be life-changing, especially for the increasingly active lifestyles which our patients lead, and really worth considering so you can live your life without the hassle of glasses.”
Once your optometrist or GP confirms you have a cataract, you can start exploring these options. Optegra offers free consultations – virtual at first, and then in one of the 5 star, stunning hospital environments, where the exact details of your treatment can be discussed.
Your ophthalmic surgeon will consider which specific lens would be most suitable for you, and confirm if you are suitable for advanced cataract surgery.
Then it’s over to you, the chance to decide whether to have standard cataract surgery, which may well suit those who are quite happy to continue wearing glasses; or advanced cataract surgery which can lead to a life completely free of glasses!
Caroline Robinson, a nurse who recently had advanced cataract surgery with Optegra, says:
“I chose to have treatment because I was having a lot of difficulty with putting glasses on for some tasks at work like computer working and checking medications, and then taking them off again to do other tasks. Especially once I was in scrubs – I then had to avoid touching my glasses altogether so had to wear them all the time to see the detail I needed.
“In theatre I was asked to look at the bright light and after a while that light didn’t seem quite so bright! It was a very strange sensation. I knew exactly what was going on and at what stage the consultant was at all the way through the procedure. I felt a little bit of pressure when the lens was implanted, but no pain at all.
“As soon as the lens was implanted I actually said I could see straight away, it was absolutely amazing!
“It was great being able to see again without having to rely on glasses. It really is life changing! No more glasses ever.”
To find out more, check out our cataract treatment and also why not arrange a no-obligation, free consultation to discuss your options and ask any questions you may have.
