Lifestyle Cataract Surgery

Cataract

A cataract is the natural clouding and thickening of the human lens inside of the eye. In the early stages of cataract the vision might not be impaired but with time and worsening of the cataract the vision is affected. 

The most common cause of cataract is age, with most people older than 60 years having some form of cataract.

Symptoms of cataract includes:

• Blurry vision even with glasses
• Difficulty seeing at night and dim light conditions
• Colours becoming dull
• Glare around artificial lights or especially when driving at night

Reading becoming difficult or requiring a stronger reading add

Modern cataract surgery has evolved as being the safest operation in medicine and the tendency is to to do cataract surgery much earlier and not to wait for a cataract to be more advanced or “ripe”

Studies even shows that there are several health advantages to early cataract surgery:

• Prolonged life
• Improved mental health
• Less falls and other trauma in older age

Studies have also shown that if cataract surgery is performed early:

• Complications are reduced significantly
• Patients enjoy better and clearer vision for longer
• Poor outcomes are reduced significantly
• Better vision is achieved
• Financial savings over time

Suitability Criteria for Lifestyle Cataract surgery

• Any patient with cataract in their eye
• Any patient diagnosed with “early” or “ a little bit of cataract”
• Any patient diagnosed with cataracts on diagnostic equipment
• 60 years or older but exceptions can be made if cataract is present at a younger age
• Patients who have a desire to be spectacle or contact lens independent
• Any patient who is NOT suitable for Presbyond or LASIK
• Poor vision even with glasses
• Patients completely dependent on reading glasses or multifocal glasses
• Patients who have a desire to be spectacle independant
  

Cataract Surgery steps

At Crystal Eye and Laser Centre, your surgeon performs the operation 100% with drop local anaesthetic applied to the eye. Unlike other centres in Western Australia, we do not use any needles to inject in the patient. We can also perform the surgery under general anaesthesia in certain circumstances. Our aim is to keep the patient as calm and comfortable as possible for this life changing operation. The procedure takes around 10 to 15 minutes per eye to complete.

Each eye is operated separately on different days but we can always accommodate our patients who wants both eyes to be operated at a time.

Cataract surgery is done at a day surgery as an outpatient procedure, meaning you will have surgery and return home the same day to recover.

 

Step 1: Your surgeon will create a small 2mm self-sealing entry point in the front of the eye.
Step 2: Your surgeon expertly creates a circular opening in the front part of your natural lens.
Step 3: The natural lens is painlessly removed..
Step 4: a new premium artificial lens is placed in the eye.

Visual recovery usually takes 2-3 days where patients can drive or fly again

Advantages of Lifestyle Cataract Surgery

• Eliminates the need for glasses and contact lenses
• Excellent and predictable visual outcomes
• Gives patients access to premium lens technology to eliminate glasses
• Lens technology can be tailored to the patient’s visual needs
• Surgical costs covered by Health Insurance
• Excellent vision for a longer period not having to wait for a cataract to “ripen”
• Removes all risks associated with contact lens wear
• The operation is done in a day surgery and recovery is within 3 days
• No risk of worsening dry eyes
• Long term financial savings eliminating the need for constant optometric assessments, new glasses or contact lenses, contact lens solutions etc
• Prolonging life
• Mental health improvements
• Reduces the risk of falls and trauma significantly
• Significantly reduces the chances of surgical complications