Cataract means reduced transparency (opacity) and hardening of the eye lens that is normally clear. Most often people experience cataract after 60 years of age. Treatment for cataract can be done in a private clinic abroad as it is much cheaper than in the UK but still have very high standards. Among the risk factors for cataract occurrence are mainly age, general diseases, diabetes, using some medicines on a long-term basis, smoking and eye injury.
Cataract treatment abroad is performed using mono-focal lenses and performed in local anaesthesia. The cloudy lens is painlessly crushed with ultrasound and removed through a micro-incision. Experienced cataract surgeons, in private clinic abroad, implants a new high quality Acrysof monofocal yellow lens. The surgery abroad takes place in an ambulatory (outpatient) setting. The duration is about 10 minutes. You will be able to leave the private eye clinic immediately after the surgery. Next day is post-operative check-up.
In addition, NHS allows you to bypass the NHS queue for cataract surgery, by reimbursing costs of treatment, if you receive private treatment abroad. So actual costs for surgery will be much lower than planned.
To receive both eye cataract surgery abroad takes no more than 5 days. A thorough preoperative examination for precedes the treatment and there is at least one post-operative check-up after each eye surgery.
Treatment abroad for cataract
After treatment, you will probably experience a mild pain around your eye, blurred vision, itchy eye or discomfort when looking at bright lights. You may wear sunglasses to reduce sensitiveness after cataract treatment. Depending on the kind of lens implant you may need to wear glasses for short and long-distance vision after the cataract surgery because some artificial lens implants cannot focus on a range of different distances. You will be encouraged to choose the new lens deliberately, as is a lifelong choice. The best technologically advanced lenses have special filters, correct presbyopia, and you don’t need to use glasses any more. The main problem that can occur is a condition called PCO – posterior capsule opacification – a cloudy vision that reappears. It is not a cataract returning, but a skin membrane is growing over the back of the artificial lens. Less than 1 out of 10 patients after cataract surgery will eventually develop PCO within 2 years. If it happens, you will need to undergo laser eye surgery to correct it. Some lenses are made of a special material which is less likely to develop PCO.
Cataract surgery can be covered by the NHS and can be refunded if cataract surgery is received in a clinic abroad. Cataract surgery abroad could be an alternative you can afford.
