Why wait to get your life back?
Affordable cataract surgery within two weeks
A One-Stop Cataract Service with consultation and surgery on the same day
Cataract surgery is the most common surgical procedure performed in the UK with an estimated 600,000 operations taking place each year. The COVID-19 pandemic however has put considerable stress on the NHS which has resulted in a reduction of the provision of eye services with many patients now on very long waiting lists for treatment.
“By the age of 65 the majority of people will develop a cataract, where the transparent lens of the eye develops cloudy patches. This leads to fuzzy vision and difficulty seeing in bright light or low lighting, and so can affect people’s abilities to work and participate in activities such as driving and exercise. This, in turn, can have a huge impact on quality of life.”
Mr. Sheraz Daya
Medical Director, Centre for Sight
What is a cataract?
Cataracts develop with increasing age. The originally transparent focussing lens of the eye becomes hard over time, necessitating the need for reading glasses. Ultimately the transparency decreases further resulting in blurry vision especially, in low lighting conditions. Cataracts can also cause halos and starbursts most noticeable when driving at night.
Scientific studies have shown that a reduction in vision does not only affect the quality of life, but also increases the risk of falling and can also contribute to dementia.
Getting your life back
Undertaking cataract surgery in the early stages of visual impairment makes a big difference to patients’ safety and their quality of life. With long waiting lists and reduced access to care, the One-Stop Cataract Service was launched to benefit those in need of a fast, safe, effective, and affordable solution. Also, because consultation, testing and surgery takes place during one visit to one of our cutting-edge centres, logistics of transport and the involvement of family members is simpler.
Like the surgery provided by the NHS, the cloudy cataract lens is removed and replaced with a synthetic monofocal lens.
Who is eligible?
The Patient Liaison Team at Centre for Sight will ask a series of questions and assess each patients’ suitability including any comorbidities or other medical conditions that may be risk factors. A referral from an Optometrist or GP is desired but not essential.
What does the service cost and include?
Treatment for one eye costs £2295. This is an all-inclusive price for consultation, tests, surgery, and a follow-up appointment three to four weeks after the operation.
Both eyes can also be treated on the same day subject to conditions. Please ask the Patient Liaison Team for details.
Centre for Sight surgeons’ endeavour to provide patients with optimal vision with as far as it is possible, good distance vision*. The One-Stop Cataract Service does not include multifocal/trifocal lenses or lenses with built-in astigmatism (toric implants). While these can be made available, inclusion requires a much more detailed and longer process with special order lenses that comes at additional cost.
12-month interest-free credit option**
Treatment for one eye will require the patient to pay a £500 deposit with the remaining balance of £1795 payable over a 12-month period.
One-Stop Cataract Service explained
Prior to the day
Call and discuss your health care needs with a member of our Patient Liaison Team who will help determine whether you are suitable for this service.
You will be offered a convenient date and given details of and what is required of you at the consultation and surgery.
You will be provided with consent and medical registration forms to sign and return to us prior to the date of your appointment, which you can upload to our secure online patient portal or send to us by post.
Consultation and surgery day
On the day of your appointment, you will need to be available all day.
Firstly, you will undergo a series of painless non-invasive diagnostic tests to ensure you are fit for surgery and to accurately measure the implant power required.
Once the tests are complete you will meet with your consultant to review the results.
You will be given an indicative time for your procedure and be able to ask any questions you may have.
The surgery and after
Although the procedure only takes about 20 minutes you will spend a few hours at Centre for Sight in order for us to prepare you for surgery and to recover.
Following a short stay in our recovery area you will be discharged and be able to go home. Please note you will be unable to drive after surgery, and therefore must pre-arrange travel home.
You will receive a telephone call the day following surgery to check your progress and to answer any questions you may have.
You will be given an appointment three to four weeks following surgery to see your consultant in clinic. At this time pending good progress in your recovery, you may be discharged.
“To wake up one morning with poor vision and go to sleep with 20/20 is fantastic.”
Victoria Hunt
Centre for Sight Patient
Is Centre for Sight’s surgery the same as NHS cataract surgery?
Under the One-Stop Cataract Service, a patient is tested for suitability for standard monofocal lenses. When a lens is removed from the eye, a focusing lens is required to enable the eye to obtain good vision. This lens is calculated based on the length of the eye, curvature of the cornea and where the lens is expected to position itself in the eye. This calculation is called biometry and a variety of means and calculations are used to optimise accuracy.
Standard monofocal lenses are offered under the One-Stop Cataract Service and are similar to what is provided in the majority of NHS funded procedures. The lens once implanted into the eye provides one point of focus and this is usually set for distance. As a result, recipients of monofocal lenses will require glasses for near (40cm) and possibly intermediate (60 to 80cm) activities. If there is significant astigmatism, glasses may be needed for distance vision too.
If a patient is considered unsuitable for monofocal lenses (for instance with a high level of astigmatism) or if they wish to consider alternative treatment options that provides more independence from spectacles after surgery. This will be discussed with the patient by the consultant. Should monofocal lenses not be the appropriate choice, the one-stop pathway will cease to apply to your care and alternative arrangements will be discussed and made by our team.
Risks
No surgery is free of risks. In keeping with good practice, it is our duty to inform you of the risks of surgery.
Risks are very rare and include complications during surgery, for instance breakage of the posterior capsule requiring further intervention, temporary or even permanent corneal swelling, infection, elevated pressure following surgery, retinal detachment, loss of vision and very rarely loss of the eye.
For your peace of mind, Centre for Sight keeps an audit of adverse events which are reported monthly. The national UK rate of posterior capsule rupture is between 1.5 to 2%. Our rate in 2017/2018 was 0% and in 2018/2019 was 0.12%.
Other factors to consider
There are a number of factors that can affect the performance of monofocal lenses soon after surgery:
- Dry eye
This sometimes is aggravated by the strong drops prescribed after surgery. This typically improves once the drops are discontinued. Some patients who no longer wear glasses, now exposed to the elements are more prone to drying. Artificial tears may be required temporarily and, in some instances, permanently.
- Astigmatism
This is where the cornea is shaped like a rugby ball rather than a soccer ball and has two points of focus. This can be corrected by creating relaxing incision or using toric lenses. As this is Standard Cataract Surgery, astigmatism will not be corrected and while you will obtain better vision, you will still need glasses after surgery for distance, intermediate and near.
- Yag capsulotomy
In 5-10% of cases the membrane that shrink wraps around the implant becomes cloudy. This can become cloudy at any time from a few weeks to years following surgery and depends on a few factors including how aggressively a patient heals.
When the capsule becomes cloudy, vision will deteriorate. This problem is often picked up by an optometrist who will refer or recommend treatment at an ophthalmic department. Centre for Sight perform Yag capsulotomies and are able to do this as a one stop process.
Prices
The One Stop Cataract Service is £2295 per eye which is payable at the time of booking. Should you decide not to proceed with surgery following your consultation, the fee minus the £395.00 cost for your consultation will be refunded to you. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions.
| One-Stop Cataract Surgery care package | £2,295 per eye** |
*All eye surgical procedures carry a level of risk including not obtaining the desired outcome through to varying levels of visual loss. Your eye surgeon will discuss the risks and benefits including ones specific to your circumstances at the time of your preoperative consultation.
**Subject to acceptance of application and status. Please ask the Patient Liaison Team for full details. Interest-free credit option is operated by V12 Retail Finance, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Author Information
Authored by Sheraz Daya MD FACP FACS FRCS(Ed) FRCOphth
Mr Daya is the Medical Director of Centre for Sight and listed amongst the 100 most influential ophthalmologists in the world and the Daily Mail’s Good Surgeon Guide as among UK’s best cataract surgeons
Next review due January 2024.
Consultants
Shahrnaz Izadi
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
David Shahnazaryan
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
Lucia Pelosini
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
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