A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear crystalline lens that is found inside the eye. This causes the light entering the eye to become scattered leading to poor vision
The main cause of cataracts is age, with most cataracts maturing in your 60s and 70s, however they can also be caused by trauma, diabetes, some medications such as steroids, chronic eye diseases and extended unprotected sun exposure. You can be born with cataracts.
The chance of developing cataracts may increase with family history.
Simply speaking, a cataract is formed by dysfunction of the lens fibres which become water logged.
It is not:
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Cataracts are a painless clouding of the lens. They usually take several years to mature before causing vision problems or affecting daily activities however, the rate at which they develop varies among individuals.
As the lens becomes more opaque you may start to develop the following symptoms:
Our team can determine if you have cataracts with a thorough eye examination then discuss your treatment options with you.
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The only treatment for cataracts is surgery, whereby the flawed lens of the eye is replaced with an implant. Every year 14.2 million cataract surgeries are performed worldwide*. It is the number one surgical procedure for people over 65.
Often surgery can be delayed until vision begins to decrease and affect daily activities. Our team will lead you through the relative merits of proceeding now versus waiting. After that, the decision is yours.
If the decision to proceed is taken, surgery is usually performed under local anaesthesia and light sedation.
At NVLC, the most common surgical method used is called Phacoemulsification and Intra-Ocular Lens (IOL) Implantation.
It involves a tiny incision being made where the white of eye (sclera) meets the clear part (cornea). An instrument about the size of a pen tip is then inserted, gently breaking up the cloudy cataract lens and sucking it away, leaving only the lens capsule. We then insert an artificial intra-ocular lens (IOL), specifically selected to provide excellent post-operative vision.
Surgery is only performed on one eye and takes around 20 minutes.
If the other eye requires operation, a second surgery is performed several weeks later.
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The following costs are per eye. They include $250 Medical Indemnity Insurance and are payable at the first post-operational visit
Please note that you will be required to cover the gap between your Health Fund rebate and our fee.
Medicare offers a $584.30 rebate to all patients.
Fee Schedule for Patients = $2775.00
Less Medicare Rebate = $2190.70
Fee Schedule for Pensioner = $1830.00
Less Medicare Rebate = $1245.70
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Immediately after surgery, we ask you to return home and rest for remainder of day.
As you will leave with a plastic shield & pad taped over the operated eye, it is important you have someone to drive you home or arrange alternative transport prior to your operation. Driving yourself is simply not an option.
It is also advisable to have someone with you for the first 24hrs after surgery, especially if your other eye has poor vision.
The next day after surgery you will come into the clinic where we will remove your shield and eye patch. We will clean your eyes with saline and your eye will be checked by Dr Frumar.
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Because of the new lens implanted inside your eye, your focusing ability will have changed. As such, you may need new reading glasses after surgery.
It is important that you wait at least 3 weeks after surgery before getting new glasses. This allows your eye to fully heal.
As part of your treatment, our team will write you an appropriate glasses prescription to take to your local optometrist.
Alternatively, you can have your glasses conveniently dispensed by our Optometrist through NLVC . Your spectacles will be ready for collection within a few days.
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Read what our patients say about their experiences with cataract surgery and See Well Specta cles.
* Market Scope: the 2003 Comprehensive Report on the Single Use Cataract Device Market. St Louis, MO: MarketScope, LLC; 2003:14
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