Private Cataract Surgery Lewes

Cataracts do not always cause an obvious or sudden deterioration in eyesight. Instead, you may gradually find that you need more light to see comfortably, your glasses no longer seem to provide the clarity they once did, or night-time journeys become more difficult because of glare and halos. When these changes begin to interfere with everyday life, it may be appropriate to discuss cataract treatment. People living in Lewes and nearby East Sussex communities can access consultant-led private cataract care at Sapphire Eye Care’s Brighton clinic, where specialist investigations help establish both the health of the eye and the most appropriate approach to surgery.

If you would like an initial discussion about your eyesight and whether treatment may be appropriate, you can book a Free Online Consultation with Sapphire Eye Care.

Changes can be subtle at first. You might notice that small print takes more effort to read, faces are less distinct at a distance or bright sunshine feels increasingly uncomfortable. Some people experience halos around lights, while others find that driving after dark becomes noticeably more challenging. Frequent changes to your glasses prescription can also occur. An eye examination can distinguish cataracts from other possible causes of deteriorating vision.

Cataract surgery involves making a very small opening in the eye so that the affected natural lens can be removed and replaced by an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The procedure is usually carried out with the eye numbed using local anaesthetic. You would normally remain awake throughout, and because treatment is typically performed as a day case, an overnight hospital stay is not usually necessary.

Although cataract surgery itself often takes around 20–30 minutes per eye, you will be at the clinic for longer than this. Your visit also includes preparation before the operation and a period of observation afterwards. Patients travelling back to Lewes should therefore allow sufficient time for the complete appointment rather than planning around the surgical time alone. Before you leave, the team will explain your medication and the steps to follow during your recovery.

Private treatment can provide access to different types of IOL, but the right choice depends on much more than personal preference alone. Measurements of the eye, your prescription and ocular health all need to be considered. Your consultant will also want to understand which visual distances are particularly important to you. Where clinically suitable, options may include monofocal, multifocal, trifocal and Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) IOLs.

Yes. The treatment recommended for you will depend partly on the type of replacement lens and your individual clinical requirements. Following the necessary assessment and investigations, Sapphire Eye Care can explain the proposed treatment and associated price. This gives you an opportunity to consider the recommendation and costs before committing to surgery.

It can for some patients, although the outcome depends on your eyes and the IOL selected. Certain premium lenses are intended to provide functional sight across a greater range than a conventional single-focus lens. This may make spectacles unnecessary for more everyday activities. Complete spectacle independence cannot be promised, however, and your consultant will discuss what can realistically be expected from each suitable lens option.

Lewes is well connected with Brighton, making Sapphire Eye Care’s clinic accessible without requiring patients to travel a considerable distance across the region. At the clinic, cataract care is led by a consultant ophthalmic surgeon and includes detailed diagnostic assessment and access to several IOL technologies. This enables the treatment discussion to consider your broader visual objectives as well as the clinical removal of the cataract.

The A27 provides a straightforward route from Lewes towards Brighton, but journey times can vary with traffic. Parking options are available for patients visiting the Brighton clinic, so it is sensible to confirm the most convenient arrangements before travelling. On the day of your operation, remember that you will not be able to drive yourself home afterwards.

You should organise for a responsible adult to collect you or accompany you home following your operation. Your sight can be blurred or otherwise temporarily affected immediately after cataract treatment, so driving yourself back to Lewes is not appropriate. Planning your return journey beforehand means you can concentrate on your recovery once you leave the clinic.

Recovery differs between individuals, so returning to driving should be based on your eyesight rather than a predetermined number of days. You must be able to meet the legal eyesight standard for driving and follow any specific advice provided by your clinical team. Your post-operative guidance will explain what to expect as your vision recovers and when normal activities can gradually be resumed.

You can approach Sapphire Eye Care directly about private cataract treatment rather than waiting for an NHS cataract referral. Patients from Lewes and the surrounding East Sussex area can begin with a Free Online Consultation, followed by an appropriate clinical assessment at the Brighton clinic. This allows your cataracts, general eye health and potential treatment choices to be evaluated before you decide on the next step.

• 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.