LASIK Surgery
A laser vision correction assessment that starts with whether the procedure is right for you at all.
Cataract Surgery
Assessment, surgery and follow-up for cataract, with the same team from first appointment to final check.
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens. Surgery replaces that lens with a clear artificial one. It is one of the most commonly performed operations in the world, and at Optha it is carried out by the same consultant who assessed you, in our own theatre.
The pathway
Assessment
Biometry measures the length and curvature of the eye, which is what allows the surgeon to choose the power of the replacement lens. Your general health and medication are reviewed, and this is the point at which lens options are discussed — monofocal, toric and extended-depth-of-focus lenses all suit different eyes and different priorities.
Surgery
The procedure is done under local anaesthetic in a day-case theatre. You are awake, and you will be talked through what is happening as it happens. Most people are in the building for two to three hours in total, most of which is preparation and recovery rather than the operation itself.
Follow-up
You go home with drops and a written schedule, a protective shield for the first few nights, and a follow-up appointment already booked. A number to ring is printed at the top of the sheet — if anything worries you before the follow-up, we would much rather you used it.
Questions worth asking
The lens choice is the part patients most often wish they had asked more about. Bring the question to the assessment, not to the theatre door.
Different lenses trade off distance vision, near vision and how much you will still need glasses afterwards. There is no single best answer; there is an answer that fits how you use your eyes.
Frequently asked
The decision rests on how much the cataract affects what you do — reading, driving at night, recognising faces — rather than on how it looks on examination. The surgeon will go through your own situation with you at the assessment.
Measurements of the eye are taken so the right intraocular lens can be chosen, your general health is reviewed, and you have time to ask about the lens options. It usually takes about an hour.
Most cataract surgery is done under local anaesthetic with the patient awake. Sedation is available. The surgeon will discuss which is appropriate for you.
Recovery varies between people. You will be given a schedule of drops, a shield to wear at night for the first few days, and a follow-up appointment. The team will tell you what to expect and what would warrant a phone call.
Usually the eyes are treated on separate occasions, with a gap in between. Whether that applies to you is a clinical decision the surgeon will explain at the assessment.
Glaucoma Treatment
Monitoring and management for glaucoma and ocular hypertension, with imaging and fields repeated on a set schedule.
Pediatric Eye Care
Eye care for children, in appointments built around how young patients actually behave in a clinic room.