Private Cataract Surgery Highcliffe

Changes caused by cataracts can make familiar activities feel increasingly difficult. You might need brighter light to read, experience more dazzle from headlights or find that your vision lacks its previous definition. If cataracts are beginning to interfere with work, driving, hobbies or day-to-day life, a specialist assessment can help you understand your treatment options.

If you are considering private cataract surgery in Highcliffe, you can begin by booking a Free Online Consultation with Sapphire Eye Care.

An assessment is worth considering if your eyesight has become increasingly cloudy, colours seem less vibrant, glare is troublesome or seeing clearly at night has become harder. Cataracts can progress at different rates, so you do not need to wait until your vision becomes severely impaired before seeking specialist advice.

The lens that has become cloudy is removed from the eye and replaced with a clear artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The operation is usually performed under local anaesthetic by a consultant ophthalmic surgeon and is typically a day-case treatment, meaning an overnight stay is not normally required.

The surgical part of your treatment typically takes around 20–30 minutes per eye. Additional time is required for preparation before surgery and clinical checks afterwards, so your complete visit to Sapphire Eye Care Highcliffe will be longer than the operation itself.

Several IOL technologies may be available, subject to the clinical suitability of your eyes. These include monofocal, multifocal, trifocal and Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) lenses. Your consultant will use diagnostic measurements, your prescription and your preferred visual outcome to advise which options are appropriate.

Your price will reflect the treatment plan and replacement lens recommended for you. Following your assessment, the proposed surgery and associated costs will be explained so that you have the information needed before deciding whether to go ahead.

For some suitable patients, yes. Premium IOL technologies can provide functional vision across more than one focal range, potentially decreasing the amount of time spectacles are required. The likely benefit varies between individuals and will be discussed as part of your lens consultation.

Choosing Sapphire Eye Care Highcliffe gives local patients access to consultant-led cataract treatment, comprehensive diagnostic testing and different replacement lens technologies without needing to travel far from the area. Your care can also be planned around the particular characteristics of your eyes and your visual requirements.

The clinic is based at Highcliffe Medical Centre, 248 Lymington Road, Highcliffe, Christchurch, BH23 5ET. Its location on the A337 makes it easily accessible for residents of Highcliffe as well as patients travelling from Christchurch, Mudeford, New Milton and neighbouring communities.

You will need someone to accompany or collect you after surgery because you must not drive yourself home. Your clinical team will also explain your post-operative eye drops, precautions and follow-up arrangements before you leave the clinic.

This depends on how your eyesight recovers. You should not resume driving until your vision satisfies the legal eyesight standard for driving and you are following the guidance provided by your clinical team.

Yes. You can contact Sapphire Eye Care directly without first being referred through the NHS. Patients in Highcliffe and surrounding Dorset and Hampshire communities can start with a Free Online Consultation, followed by an appropriate clinical assessment at Sapphire Eye Care Highcliffe.

• 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.