You will undergo a comprehensive examination with a trained clinician. The purpose of this is to evaluate the state of your cataract and any other co-existing conditions that need to be taken into account during surgery. Your clinician will also discuss with you what you expect to achieve from the surgery, such as whether you prefer to be given a lens implant that leaves you short-sighted for spectacle-free reading, or if you are interested in a premium intraocular lens such as multifocal intra-ocular lenses. The costs of your procedure will also be discussed with you at this time and will vary depending on your individual needs. The cost of cataract treatment in Melbourne and throughout Australia can be reduced with an appropriate level of private health cover. We cater for insured as well as uninsured patients at Armadale Eye Clinic.

Your eye surgeon and supporting team will ensure you are feeling safe and comfortable as you are prepared for surgery. General anaesthetic is usually not used for cataract procedures, but light sedation can be offered to ease anxious nerves. A topical anaesthetic or nerve block will be applied around your eye and you will be asked to fixate on a specific target to keep your eye steady. Your doctor will create an incision in the cornea and use a purpose-specific instrument to break the cataract into smaller pieces, then to be suctioned out. A pre-prepared intraocular lens is then inserted into the eye and the corneal incision allowed to self-seal. In total, the treatment will take about 15-20 minutes.

You will be given a protective eye shield along with post-operative care instructions and eye drop medications. In the days immediately following surgery you will notice a drastic improvement to your vision. Depending on how the surgery went and how quickly your eye heals and vision improves, your ophthalmologist may want to review you the following day, the following week, and the following month.