Why Choose Private Surgery?

1: Choice of surgeon

The most important reason to have cataract surgery privately is to be able to choose your surgeon.

All surgeons differ in their ability and this can directly influence the outcome of any surgery, particularly eye surgery. Cataract surgery has the advantage that it is very easy to measure both results and complications. If your surgeon either does not know or will not tell your their complication rate, walk away.

2: Choice of consistent care

Once you have chosen your surgeon, as a private patient you will see them pre-operatively, for the surgery, and for your follow up. This minimises duplications, transcription errors, and uncertainty.

3: Choice of intraocular lens

There are now many different types of intraocular lens. When going privately you can choose the type best suited to your needs.

4: Choice of anaesthetic

Your surgeon and anaesthetist will be able to offer you a choice of topical, subtenons or peribulbar local anaesthetic, with or without sedation. If very nervous but otherwise healthy you can also choose to have a full general anaesthetic.

5: Choice of time of surgery

As a private patient you choose when you want your surgery. There is no waiting list. Most patients have cataracts in both eyes. To have both eyes operated on in quick sucession maximises your post operative vision.

 

Questions To Ask Your Surgeon

How many cataract extractions have you done?

In the UK most eye surgeons have done 500 to 1000 cataracts by the time they become a consultant, and then do 300 to 500 per year. The average surgeon induced complication rate reduces from 10% to 2% over the time of training.

How do you audit your results?

Every consultant should have a constant rolling audit of their cataract results using a software package such as Medisoft. They should then be able to provide you with their latest data for outcome and complication rates.

What is your audited incidence of posterior capsule rupture?

Posterior capsule rupture is one of the simplest complications to measure. Essentially we leave the outer layer, the "capsule", of your own lens behind to act as a carrier bag into which we insert your new artificial lens. It is essential that this layer does not rupture, otherwise it is much more difficult to insert your lens in the perfect position, and consequently there is a risk of a worse visual outcome. Certain factors increase the risk of capsule rupture, but these should all be evident prior to starting the surgery. The last factor is simply surgeon error. In the UK the average posterior capsule rupture rate was 2.7% in 2003, and 1.92% in 2009. A good cataract surgeon, when operating on a straightforward cataract with no additional risks, should have an audited rate of 0.5% or less.

How will you treat my astigmatism?

If you have significant astigmatism your surgeon should have a plan for how to correct it at the time of your surgery. The options include changing the position of the main port into the cornea, separate partial thickness cuts into your cornea, post operative refractive laser surgery and the insertion of special toric intraocular lenses. All of these techniques have their place, but one of the most reliable is the toric lens.

Which Intraocular lens do you use?

Each surgeon will have a favourite IOL, but they should nontheless be able to offer you your choice of the available premium lenses.

 

Private Hospital Choices

Cheltenham Nuffield


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Cheltenham General


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Tewkesbury


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Tetbury


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