What types of private cataract surgery are available?
If you are suffering from cataracts, surgery is the most effective solution to restore your vision.
With a variety of cataract surgery types and premium lens options available, we recommend booking in for a free consultation to talk over your options with one of our experienced clinicians.
Optical Express carries out thousands of successful cataract surgeries every year. Speak to one of our expert team to learn about the different cataract surgery procedures available and find out more about what’s involved.
Types of surgery available
The most effective type of cataract surgery is lens replacement. This procedure involves the damaged lens being removed and replaced with a new synthetic lens to restore your vision. At Optical Express we also offer YAG treatment if additional corrections are required.
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Cataract surgery
Cataract surgery replaces your damaged natural lens with a premium synthetic lens, which is specially designed to reduce your reliance on glasses and contact lenses.
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YAG laser treatment
Sometimes, the clear vision achieved after cataract surgery can become blurred over time and a secondary procedure known as YAG laser treatment is required to improve it. Optical Express will perform YAG laser treatment to restore your vision to the level achieved after your initial surgery.
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How does private cataract surgery work?
In private cataract surgery, the lens of your eye will be replaced with a synthetic one.
Step 1
Your optometrist will apply drops to your eye and give you an anaesthetic. This ensures that you won't feel anything during surgery. You'll also be offered a light sedation by your anesthetist to relax you during your procedure.
Step 2
Your surgeon will create a tiny opening in the surface of your eye, known as the entry point and your new lens will be secured into place.
Step 3
You should now go home to relax. You'll return to the clinic the next day if you are having surgery on your other eye. On your journey to recovery, you may notice blurred vision and glare, but this will improve over time.
How does cataract surgery differ from laser eye surgery?
Cataract surgery replaces your eye's natural lens with a premium synthetic lens to improve your vision. In contrast, laser eye surgery will reshape the cornea to improve your vision.
As well as being an effective solution for patients suffering from cataracts, cataract surgery can help with other vision issues, such as long sightedness, short sightedness, presbyopia and astigmatism.
As we age, our natural lens will gradually deteriorate and may cause a reduction in both distance and near vision. As the cause of the problem is the natural lens, it needs to be replaced in order to correct the problem.
Compare lens types
Monofocal
A monofocal lens focuses vision at one distance.
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Toric monofocal lenses are suitable for patients with astigmatism.
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While your monofocal lens will improve distance vision, you may still need glasses for reading or for close-up work. Similarly, patients who have monofocal lenses to improve their near vision may still require glasses when driving.
From £1,995 /per eye†
Get a QuoteMultifocal
Multifocal lenses will provide excellent long and short vision.
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A multifocal lens uses several optical points, relying on your natural eye muscles to focus both near and far.
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A multifocal lens will provide exceptional long and short vision and the majority of patients who have multifocal lenses don't need to wear glasses.
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A multifocal lens design can have an effect on your quality of vision especially at night. Your optometrist and surgeon will discuss this with you in detail during your consultation.
From £3,195 /per eye
Get a QuoteWhat’s the difference between NHS and Private Cataract Surgery?
While cataract patients suffering from drastically reduced quality of vision and consequent quality of life can in most cases have their cataracts treated through the NHS, there are a variety of benefits of opting for private cataract surgery. Avoiding long waiting lists, reducing the risk of a complication developing though having surgery sooner and reducing the risks associated with prolonged vision impairment, for example, are some of the main reasons why patients choose to have their cataracts treated privately. Besides this, one of the key differences between cataract surgeries carried out by the NHS or at Optical Express is the range of premium lens options that we have on offer, some of which are not available through the NHS.
Currently, the only lens implant type that the NHS can offer is a traditional monofocal or a single-focus lens implant, often leaving patients still requiring glasses for visual tasks within an arm's length. At Optical Express, we can tailor your treatment to your specific needs, offering a range of monofocal as well as multifocal lenses. By using a multifocal lens, if suitable, we can correct visual errors such as long-sightedness, short-sightedness and astigmatism. This means that, unlike through the NHS, at Optical Express we can remove your cataracts while reducing your reliance on glasses and contact lenses at the same time.
So, for patients who desire complete independence from their glasses and/or contact lenses, private cataract surgery may be a more suitable option. What’s more, visual outcomes at Optical Express are significantly better than those at the NHS – with a matched sample of cataract surgery procedures showing that 97.7% of Optical Express patients achieved driving standard or better following their cataract procedure, compared to 34.6% of patients treated by the NHS.* What are you waiting for? Take the first step towards improved vision by booking your free consultation at Optical Express today.