Private Cataract Surgery Brighton

Cataracts can gradually change how clearly and comfortably you see, sometimes making bright light, night driving, reading or other detailed tasks more difficult. If these changes are starting to affect your confidence or independence, a specialist assessment can help determine whether cataract surgery is the right next step. Patients in Brighton can access consultant-led cataract care at Sapphire Eye Care’s Brighton clinic, where recommendations are based on a detailed examination of your eyes, prescription, lifestyle and visual requirements.

To explore whether private cataract surgery may be right for you, book a Free Online Consultation with us.

Cataracts can affect eyesight in several different ways. Some patients notice a gradual loss of sharpness, while others become more aware of glare, halos around lights or reduced vision in darker conditions. Colours may look less vivid and reading small print can require more effort or brighter lighting. A comprehensive eye assessment can confirm whether these changes are due to cataracts and whether treatment should be considered.

During cataract surgery, the cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The procedure is performed by a consultant ophthalmic surgeon, usually under local anaesthetic using modern microsurgical techniques. It is generally carried out as a day-case treatment, so most patients are able to return home later the same day.

The procedure itself typically takes around 20–30 minutes per eye, but your overall visit will be longer. Time is needed for preparation before surgery and a period of recovery afterwards. Before you leave the clinic, your clinical team will explain your eye-drop routine, aftercare instructions and follow-up arrangements.

The right lens depends on far more than your prescription alone. Your consultant will consider your eye health, everyday visual demands and the way you would like to use your vision after surgery. Activities such as driving, reading, computer work and hobbies can all influence lens selection. Where clinically appropriate, options may include monofocal, multifocal, trifocal and Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) intraocular lenses.

The cost of private cataract surgery depends on your individual treatment requirements and the intraocular lens selected. Following your consultation and diagnostic testing, you’ll receive a personalised treatment recommendation and a clear quotation outlining the relevant costs before you decide whether to proceed.

For suitable patients, yes. Some premium intraocular lenses are designed to provide useful vision across several distances, which may reduce the need for glasses for activities such as reading, screen use or distance vision. The outcome varies between individuals, and your consultant will explain what level of spectacle independence is realistic for your eyes.

Patients in Brighton can receive consultant-led private cataract treatment at Sapphire Eye Care’s Brighton clinic, with access to detailed diagnostic assessment and a choice of modern intraocular lens technologies. Treatment is planned around both the clinical condition of your eyes and the type of vision you would like to achieve after surgery, helping to create a more personalised approach to cataract care.

Parking arrangements are available for patients attending Sapphire Eye Care’s Brighton clinic. We recommend checking the most convenient parking option for your appointment before travelling, particularly if you are attending for surgery or diagnostic assessment.

Yes. You should arrange for a friend, relative or companion to take you home because your eyesight may be temporarily blurred or unsettled immediately after treatment. Before discharge, the clinical team will explain how to use your prescribed eye drops, protect the operated eye and manage the early stages of recovery.

Recovery times differ between patients, and you should not return to driving until your eyesight meets the legal driving standard and you have been advised that it is safe. Many people notice an improvement in their vision within the first few days, while other routine activities can usually be resumed gradually in line with your personalised aftercare guidance.

Patients in Brighton and the surrounding Sussex area can usually arrange a private cataract consultation with Sapphire Eye Care without a lengthy delay. Your consultant ophthalmic surgeon will assess your eyesight and eye health, investigate the extent of your cataracts and discuss how your vision is affecting everyday life. Suitable treatment and intraocular lens options can then be explored before a personalised recommendation is made.

• After surgery you may experience some pain. Simple paracetamol is usually enough to control this.
• The eyelids will be a bruised and swollen. Bruising will take approximately 2 weeks to settle. Swelling is greatly reduced after 2 weeks but may not completely resolve for several months.
• Some people report not feeling ‘back to normal’ for up to 6 months after surgery.
• Initially it may feel difficult for you to close your eyelids and this will be managed with eye ointments.
• It is important not to have surgery too close to important events, in case you have not fully recovered in time.

• Dermatochalasis is excess of eyelid skin. It can present as an extra fold of skin, which may overhang the upper eyelashes.
• It is caused by the skin loosing its elasticity, usually due to age but is also seen in some medical conditions such as Thyroid related.
• It may be associated with prolapse of orbital fat causing the eyelid to bulge (eye bags). This may occur in the upper or lower eyelid.
• The lower lid may be lax or loose, which may cause it to sag or hang lower than in youth.

• A blepharoplasty is an operation to rejuvenate the eyelids and in some cases can improve vision where excess skin is obscuring it.
• It usually involves removal of excess eyelid skin.
• Depending on an individual, muscle or fat underlying the skin may also be removed, repositioned or tightened surgically.
• The procedure can be carried out in the upper or lower eyelid

Upper eyelid blepharoplasty:

• At the beginning of the operation the amount of skin to be removed will be carefully assessed. Marks will be drawn on the eyelid with a sterile marking pen to assist the surgeon during the procedure.
• The incision is based in the skin crease of the upper lid, which helps to minimise any sign that you have had upper lid surgery.
• After this, local anaesthetic will be injected under the skin of the eyelid and excess skin is then removed.
• Depending on your particular needs, the muscle beneath the skin may be preserved or partially removed.
• If there is fat prolapse, this may be treated with partial fat removal or repositioning.
• Sutures are placed to reform the natural skin crease in the eyelid.
• The skin edges are sutured together with either a continuous suture that is removed one week later or absorbable sutures that will naturally fall out after 2-3 weeks.
• It may be performed alone or in conjunction with other procedures such as lower eyelid surgery, ptosis surgery or brow surgery.

Lower eyelid blepharoplasty:

• There are several elements to lower lid blepharoplasty: skin, muscle, fat and eyelid laxity. The procedure will be tailored to your needs.
• Fat prolapse in the lower eyelid gives the appearance of ‘eye bags’. This fat can be excised or repositioned over the orbital rim to create a smoother transition from the eyelid into the cheek.
• Surgery on the prolapsed fat may be done without a skin incision from the inside of the eyelid – transconjunctival or via a skin incision just beneath the eyelashes – transcutaneous.
• The lower eyelid usually needs to be tightened at the time of surgery. Even a small amount of lid laxity can lead to postoperative lower lid retraction or ectropion if not addressed at the time of surgery.
• The orbicularis muscle, which lies directly beneath the skin is often tightened by placing sutures from it to the bony rim of the orbit – ‘orbicularis suspension’.
• Lower eyelid skin is excised in much smaller amounts than in the upper lid. This is to avoid the unwanted side effect following surgery of eyelid retraction.

• Bleeding and bruising.
• Over or under correction of excess skin with the potential for residual bulging after surgery. Under correction does not usually necessitate revision surgery and is relatively common and preferable to over correction. Over correction results from removal of too much eyelid skin and/or fat with a resultant cosmetic sunken appearance to the eyelids after blepharoplasty).
• Asymmetry of the shape of the eyelids.
• Dry eye requiring the use of artificial teardrops temporarily blurred vision, which is usually temporary.
• Weak or limited eyelid blink (occurs due to excessive scarring)
• Weak or limited eyelid closure (especially at night)
• Should the cornea break down, partial closure of the eye with sutures may be necessary to protect it. Further corrective surgery may be necessary.
• Recurrence of excess skin/bag.
• The need for further eyelid surgery in the future.
• Cysts or whiteheads along suture sites.
• Temporary patches of numbness of the eyelids.
• Orbital haemorrhage with a potential for permanent visual loss
• Infection
• Scarring, or persistent eyelid swelling, and other unusual skin changes, especially in patients with thin sensitive skin, are extremely rare complications.

Crow’s feet are not generally improved by blepharoplasty. Smile lines are not improved by blepharoplasty and may change after surgery. In addition to the risks specific to the individual procedure, there are also general risks, such as blood loss, infection, cardiac arrest, airway problems and blood clots, which are associated with any surgical procedure. Local anaesthetic may cause bruising or possible allergic responses. If your operation is to be carried out under general anaesthetic, the anaesthetist will discuss this with you.

• Both eyelid dermatochalasis and eyebrow ptosis may reduce the visual field due to the hooding of skin over the eyelid; surgery can therefore improve visual function and relieve some headaches.
• It also will improve the appearance of the eyes with a fresher more awake look.

If you choose not to have this surgery, the appearance and symptoms caused by the excess skin or fat is not likely to improve and may worsen over time, although this will not have any permanent detrimental effect on your vision or general health.