Removal – How are cataracts removed?

Cataract surgery is a safe and straightforward procedure with excellent success rates. It removes the eye’s cloudy natural lens and replaces it with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The surgery is performed under local anaesthetic using numbing eye drops, so you remain awake and feel minimal discomfort. Most operations are outpatient, allowing you to go home the same day. The procedure typically lasts around 10 minutes, although your hospital visit may take two to three hours. Phacoemulsification, the most common technique, uses ultrasound to break up the lens before removal. The new lens is inserted, antibiotic solution is applied to prevent infection, and for some patients a protective shield is placed over the eye for 24 hours.