Private Cataract Surgery Romsey

Cataracts often develop slowly, causing your vision to become less sharp over time and making everyday activities increasingly difficult. If you’re experiencing cloudy eyesight, increased glare or finding it harder to read, drive or enjoy television, a consultation with a consultant ophthalmic surgeon can establish whether private cataract surgery is the right option. Following a comprehensive assessment, your treatment will be tailored to your prescription, eye health, lifestyle and individual visual requirements.

To see if private cataract surgery in Romsey could be a good option for you, book a Free Callback with us.

Cataracts often develop slowly, with symptoms becoming more noticeable over time as the eye’s natural lens loses its clarity. Common signs include blurred or misty vision, increased glare from bright lights or headlights, colours appearing less vibrant and growing difficulty with activities such as reading, driving, watching television or recognising faces.

Private cataract surgery restores vision by removing the eye’s cloudy natural lens and replacing it with a carefully selected artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The operation is performed under local anaesthetic by a consultant ophthalmic surgeon using advanced microsurgical techniques and is usually completed as a day-case procedure, allowing you to return home later the same day.

While the surgical procedure itself generally takes around 20 to 30 minutes per eye, your appointment also includes pre-operative assessments, preparation, post-operative observation and discharge. Before leaving the clinic, you’ll receive personalised recovery advice, information about your eye drops and details of your follow-up care.

The most appropriate intraocular lens will depend on your prescription, eye health, lifestyle and the visual outcome you hope to achieve. Sapphire Eye Care offers monofocal, multifocal, trifocal and Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) lens options, with your consultant ophthalmic surgeon recommending the lens that best supports your individual visual needs.

The cost of treatment varies according to your personalised care plan and the intraocular lens chosen for your procedure. Following a detailed consultation and diagnostic eye examination, your consultant ophthalmic surgeon will discuss your recommended treatment, explain the available lens options and provide a transparent quotation covering all associated costs.

Many patients enjoy greater independence from glasses following cataract surgery, especially when premium intraocular lenses are appropriate. The extent of spectacle independence achieved depends on factors including your prescription, eye health and the type of lens selected for your treatment.

Both NHS and private cataract surgery improve vision by replacing the eye’s cataract-affected natural lens with an artificial intraocular lens. Patients travelling from Romsey often choose Sapphire Eye Care’s Winchester clinic because they benefit from consultant-led treatment, faster access to surgery, continuity with the same consultant ophthalmic surgeon throughout their care and a wide choice of advanced premium intraocular lenses.

Yes. Patients travelling from Romsey can take advantage of free on-site parking at our Winchester clinic, making your visit convenient and allowing you to park just a short walk from the clinic entrance.

Yes. Because your eyesight may be temporarily affected immediately after your operation, you should arrange for someone to drive you home. Before you’re discharged, we’ll explain your aftercare plan in full, including how to use your prescribed eye drops, wear your protective eye shield and attend your follow-up appointments.

Everyone heals at a slightly different rate following cataract surgery, although many patients notice improvements in their vision within the first few days. You should only drive once your consultant ophthalmic surgeon has confirmed your eyesight satisfies the legal driving requirements. Most everyday activities can then be resumed gradually in accordance with your personalised recovery guidance.

Patients travelling from Romsey can usually book a private cataract consultation quickly at our Winchester clinic. During your appointment, your consultant ophthalmic surgeon will complete a comprehensive eye assessment, explain the different intraocular lens options available and recommend a personalised treatment plan based on your prescription, eye health, lifestyle and future visual expectations.

• 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.