One Stop Cataract Clinic

Now that you have been told that you may have a cataract, you will be wondering what happens next. This leaflet explains the following.

• What is a cataract?                                                                                          

• What causes a cataract? What is the treatment?                                              

• What are the benefits of the operation?                                                                           

• Are there any risks? I have high pressure in my eyes, is this a concern?          

• I have diabetes, is that a concern for my cataract operation?                           

• What will happen before my treatment?                                                           

• Cleaning your eyes before surgery                                                                                                                   

• What will happen at my appointment?                                                              

• What choices of intraocular (in the eye) lens do I have?                                   

• Will I have a pre-assessment appointment?                                                      

• Who will carry out my operation?                                                                     

• What will happen on the day of my operation?                                                 

• Can I eat and drink before my operation?                                                        

• Should I take my normal medication before my operation?                               

• What will happen when I arrive at the hospital?                                                      

• What happens during cataract surgery using ultrasound?                                                                   

• How can I expect my eye to feel after surgery?                                                

• When should I ask for help?                                                                            

• Why have I been given eye drops after my operation?                                     

• Can I still use my other eye drops?                                                                  

• How do I use the eye drops / ointment?                                                             

• Can I clean my eye after surgery?                                                                                        

• What can I do for the first week after surgery?                                                              

• What can I do 2 to 4 weeks after surgery?                                                

• When can I swim or use eye make-up?

• When can I drive?                               

• Will I still need my glasses?                                                                             

• Will I need to see my optician?                                                                         

• What about my other eye?                                                                               

• When can I go back to work?                                                                           

• Can I travel after surgery?                                                                               

• What if I have concerns or questions once I am home?                                   

We hope this leaflet answers some of the questions you may have. If you have any further questions or concerns, please speak to a member of your healthcare team.

What is a cataract?

What causes a cataract?

Cataracts can form at any age, but they most often develop as we get older.

In younger people they can develop after an injury or from taking certain drugs. Or they can be the result of long-standing eye inflammation, or illnesses such as diabetes.

What is the treatment?

What are the benefits of cataract surgery?

Cataract surgery is one of the most successful operations performed today. Hundreds of thousands of people have excellent vision after surgery. You should enjoy improved vision for many years after surgery, and be able to do the things your cataract has prevented you from doing.

If you have other eye problems, cataract surgery will not necessarily improve your vision. Your consultant will discuss this with you.

Are there any risks?

Every operation carries a risk. The risks linked to cataract surgery are very small. We take every care to avoid complications, but complications do happen.

Possible complications during cataract surgery

• Damaged iris. The ultrasound probe could damage the iris (risk 1 in 50 patients).

• Corneal abrasion or accidental scratching of the eye during the operation. The eye can feel gritty after surgery. This generally heals quickly by itself (risk 1 in 100 patients).

• Posterior capsule rupture is tearing of the lens capsule, leading to vitreous loss. The vitreous is a jelly-like substance found between the lens and the retina. This may cause vision problems or loss of a lens fragment into the back of the eye. This may need further surgery (risk 1 in 100 patients).

• The lens could move from its intended position (risk 1 in 400 patients).

• Severe bleeding inside the eye during surgery (risk 1 in 1000 patients).

Possible complications after cataract surgery

• Blurred vision, due to swelling of the retina. This can be treated with drops (risk 1 in 20 patients).

• Pain is usually mild and is often treated with painkillers, such as paracetamol. If you have severe pain, this may mean that you have an infection or inflammation (risk 1 in 50 patients). If this happens, contact the Urgent Eye Service during working hours. If it happens after working hours or during the weekend, call 111. The Urgent Eye Service contact details are at the bottom of this leaflet.

• An allergic reaction to the prescribed eye drops (risk 1 in 100 patients).

• Drooping of your eyelid(s) (risk 1 in 100 patients).

• High pressure in the eye (risk 1 in 100 patients).

• Clouding of the cornea (risk 1 in 100 patients).

• Retinal detachment can occur in the 5 years following surgery. If your retina detaches you may notice a series of flashes, followed by a shadow that creeps across your vision. If this happens, action will need to be taken to save your vision (risk 1 in 250 patients). If this happens during working hours, contact your optician or GP immediately. If it happens outside of working hours call 111.

• Infection of the eye. Despite the care we take in theatre and the antibiotics given following surgery, infection is still a risk (risk 1 in 1000 patients). If your eye becomes painful and blurred, contact the Urgent Eye Service. Their contact details are at the bottom of this leaflet.

• Posterior capsule opacification (PCO). PCO is one of the most common complications of cataract surgery. It is reported to occur in 2 to 4 in every 10 patients, between 2 and 5 years after surgery. PCO is a common long-term complication, where the lens capsule becomes cloudy. This can be treated with a quick and painless laser procedure called laser capsulotomy.

• The risk of permanent vision loss from cataract surgery is rare, estimated to be around 1 in 1000 patients.

I have high pressure in my eyes, is this a concern?

High eye pressure (intraocular pressure or IOP) is any reading from the pressure test of your eyes that is above 21mmHg. If you have higher than average IOP, over the long-term a cataract operation may help lower the pressure. This is because the new lens will usually be thinner than your natural lens. However, in the short-term, eye drops given to heal the eye after surgery may increase the pressure.

Make sure you remind all the health professionals treating your eye, that you have a history of high IOP. You may need:

• special follow- up appointments to monitor the pressures; and

• different eye drops to reduce the temporary increase.

I have diabetes, is that a concern for my cataract operation?

• Please make sure that your blood sugar level is below 16.5 for the day of your operation.

• On the day of your surgery, please bring to hospital your latest HbA1c, if possible.

• Before your operation, please eat light meals that will not raise your blood sugar level above 16.5.

• We will test your blood sugar level on the day of your operation. If your blood sugar is too high, we may have to cancel your operation.

What will happen before my treatment?

Where possible we will arrange for you to attend a cataract clinic. You will see a nurse and an ophthalmologist (eye doctor), and possibly an orthoptist as well.

Please bring your current glasses and a list of any tablets you are taking.

If your GP referred you and not your optometrist, please also bring a copy of an old glasses prescription, 3 to 4 years old.

Do not to drive to this appointment, as we will be putting drops into your eye that will enlarge your pupil. This allows us to examine inside the back of your eye. The drops can affect your vision for a few hours afterwards.

Will I have a pre-assessment appointment?

Yes, but we do not see everyone for a face-to-face pre-assessment appointment. Your doctor will decide whether we need to see you in person or whether you can have a telephone appointment.

The hospital will send you a letter with the the date and time of your appointment. It is important that you take these calls; if you do not, we will cancel your procedure.

What will happen at my cataract clinic appointment?

This appointment can last two hours or more.

Please tell the nurse or doctor if you are taking warfarin or aspirin, or you are diabetic.

A member of the eye clinic team will test your vision and measure your eye pressure. They will also measure the size of your eye, using specialist equipment. This will help the ophthalmologist to decide which lens to put into your eye, once they remove the cataract. Wearing contact lenses may affect these measurements. So, please stop wearing:

• any soft contact lenses 1 week before your cataract clinic appointment.

• any hard contact lenses 2 weeks before your cataract clinic appointment.

Once the tests are finished, the ophthalmologist will:

• examine your eye in detail;

• discuss with you plans for giving you the best possible vision;

• remind you of the the risks and benefits; and

• ask you to sign a consent form for the operation. Remember you can withdraw your consent for treatment at any time.

Why do I need to sign a consent form?

All patients must give permission before they receive any type of:

• medical treatment;

• test; or

• examination.

Consent is usually given when you sign the consent form before your treatment. We may ask you to give your consent verbally (spoken rather than written consent).

• You must give your consent voluntarily.

• The hospital must give you all the information you need to make a decision about your treatment. This is so you can give us informed consent.  Please speak to staff if:

  • staff have not given you this information; or

  • they have but you still have questions. 

• You must be capable of giving consent. This means you understand the information given to you, and can make an informed decision.

When we ask you to give consent, please use this time to ask any questions you may still have. For more information, please go to the NHS Consent for Treatment web page. Remember, you can withdraw your consent for treatment at any time.

What choice of intraocular (in the eye) lens do I have?

Your doctor will ask you to choose between either seeing:

• Distances, possibly without glasses, for example to view landscapes or to drive without glasses; or

• Close up, possibly without glasses. This can include computer work, reading, and cooking.

You will not be able to see both. This is because the new lens has a fixed focus. It does not change shape to focus, as a natural lens does. You will discuss this with your doctor before your operation.

You may still need to wear glasses to adjust your near and / or far vision.

At present artificial varifocal lenses are not recommended by the NHS.

Who will carry out my operation?

Your consultant may not be the person that carries out your operation. Our doctors work in teams, and it may be another member of that team who carries out your surgery.

Will I have anaesthetic for my operation?

Yes. Cataract surgery is normally carried out under local anaesthetic. Local anaesthetic is where the area is anaesthetised (numbed) but you are awake. The anaesthetic is given using anaesthetic drops or an injection around the area of the eye.

If the ophthalmologist decides that you need a general anaesthetic (where you are asleep for procedure), they will discuss this with you in the cataract clinic.

Cleaning your eyes before surgery

Why do I need to clean my eyes before surgery?

We ask all patients to clean their eyelids before an eye procedure / surgery. This prevents any problems at the time of the operation, as infection could be transferred from the eyelids into the eye. Cleaning your eyelids does not guarantee that you will not get an infection, but it will reduce the risk.

Why do I need to do this if I do not have any signs of an infection?

Sometimes, signs of an infection can be seen under a microscope but do not cause any problems. It is important that you follow these cleaning instructions, so that an infection does not cause you a problem in the future.

Please follow the instructions below when cleaning your eyelids.

1. Hot compresses (if advised by your consultant or nurse). Soak a clean face cloth in warm water, as warm as your eyelids can take. Apply it to your closed eyelids for 5 to 10 minutes. It may be necessary to repeatedly re-heat the cloth. This should feel good, and will make any debris on your lashes easier to remove. Once you have completed stage one you need to proceed to stages two or three below.

2. Dilute four drops of baby shampoo to a quarter cup of boiling water, and allow the solution to cool, or

3. Dissolve half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda into half a pint of boiled water, and allow the solution to cool.

4. Dip a cotton bud into the solution of diluted shampoo or Bicarbonate of Soda, and paint along your eyelid edges. Clean your eyelids, eyelid edges, and eyelashes with a side-to-side motion (see diagram).

How often should I do this?

Use either method at least twice a day for two weeks, then once daily until your eyes feel more comfortable. If you have been given this advice before a surgical procedure, continue the treatment twice a day until your operation.

I have been prescribed anti-inflammatory ointment, how do I apply this?

Your doctor may have prescribed you an anti-inflammatory ointment. The ointment will only work if you remove the crusts around your eye first. See the Cleaning your eyes before surgery section above.

• You will need to apply this ointment to your eyelid edges with a clean finger, after you have cleaned your eyelid.

• At bedtime, place a quarter of an inch of the ointment inside your lower eyelid.

What if I start to show signs of infection before surgery?

Signs of infection can include redness, discharge, or itching. If you show any signs of infection, that you are not already being treated for, please tell the hospital immediately. We may need to cancel your operation until the problem is resolved.

What will happen on the day of my operation?

• We do not usually ask you to change into a theatre gown, unless you are having a general anaesthetic.

• Please wear something comfortable, that can be easily removed when you get home (button-fronted clothes are good). This is because you may be wearing an eye patch after your surgery, and you do not want to be struggling to get clothing over your head.

• Please bring a book, magazine, or something to occupy you.

• Do not wear hard or soft contact lenses on the day of your surgery. If needed, wear your glasses.

Can I eat and drink before my operation?

Yes. Unless we have told you otherwise, you may eat and drink normally before your procedure.

Should I take my normal medication before my operation?

Unless your doctor or pre-assessment nurse has told you to, do not stop taking any medications, including painkillers or eye drops. If you need to take medication during your stay, please bring them with you.

If you take take / use the following, please bring them with you on the day of your surgery. Tell your nurse when you arrive.

• Insulin or any other diabetic medication.

• GTN spray or inhalers.

If you take warfarin, please take this as normal. It is important that you bring your warfarin booklet with you on the day of surgery. The cataract unit staff will need to see that your INR levels are less than 3 and / or within your usual therapeutic range, so your surgery can go ahead.

What will happen when I arrive at hospital?

• On arrival, please report to the receptionist.

• A nurse will take your blood pressure and pulse, and ask you some questions.

• Please bring the contact number of a relative / friend, in case we need to contact them in an emergency.

What happens during cataract surgery using ultrasound?

You will be in hospital for approximately 4 hours.

• Before your operation, you will be given eye drops to enlarge your pupil. The drops cause temporary blurring of your vision. Please arrange for someone to drive you to and from hospital.

• The doctor will see you before your procedure. Please ask them any further questions that you may have.

• You will be given anaesthetic to numb the area. You should feel no pain, but be aware of touch.

• The operation is performed using a microscope. It generally takes between 10 to 30 minutes.

• You lie flat for the procedure, under a bright light. You will only be able to see a vague coloured blur, but no details.

• To keep the area sterile, your face is covered, apart from your eye. Please tell the staff if you have claustrophobia (a fear of being enclosed in small spaces).

• There will be a pipe giving you air to breathe under a sterile drape.

• The high-pitched sound is the ultrasound machine.

• The doctor will make a small incision (cut) in your eye. This incision is designed to self-seal and rarely needs stitches. Where a larger incision is needed, you may need stitches.

• A pad or shield is placed over your eye, to protect it from accidental rubbing and bumping.

• A nurse will be with you throughout your procedure.

What happens after my procedure?

You will be given food and drink after your procedure.

Before you are discharged, a nurse will give you all the instructions and advice that you need. They will also explain this to any relative or friend you bring with you, and who will take you home. Please ask any questions and share any concerns that you have.

How can I expect my eye to feel after surgery?

The following are common symptoms and are not to be concerned about.

• A feeling of something in your eye / watery eye is usually your eye healing. Try artificial tears from a chemist to soothe your eye.

• Mild discomfort can be helped with your usual painkilling medicine (for example paracetamol).

• Light may seem to be bright, so wearing sunglasses at first can help.

• Red or bloodshot eye; this usually settles within one to two weeks.

• Some swelling and / or bruising in and around your eye; this usually settles within one to two weeks.

• Small floaters or double vision; this usually settles down.

• Seeing something at the outer edge or a line across your vision, especially when near a window. This should settle as your brain gets used to your new lens.

• Blurred distance vision. This can happen straightaway, or one to two days after surgery. Try having the distance vision lens removed from your glasses on the operated side and give your eye some time to settle down. If your vision is worse than before your operation, please contact us.

• Blurred reading vision. You can try ready readers to help you to read, while you are waiting four to six weeks to see your optician. Ready readers are available from chemists, supermarkets, and petrol stations.

• Your vision will hopefully be much clearer and brighter, and you will see true colours again. Unless you have other eye problems that have affected your vision, or have any complications such as infection.

When should I ask for help?

The early symptoms listed above, should gradually settle down as the days and weeks go by. However, if you have any of the following or are worried about your eye, please contact us, your GP, or your nearest Emergency Department.

• Vision getting worse.

• Severe pain in your eye or headaches.

• Yellow or green discharge from your eye.

• Straight lines, such as door frames, looking wavy / distorted.

• Swelling of your eyelids or an excessive itching feeling.

• Bright lights hurting your eye.

• Feeling nauseous (sick) or feeling “seasick”.

• New large floaters in your eye (moving shapes floating in your vision).

• Flashing lights in your vision.

• Black or grey curtain appearance across your eye.

Why have I been given eye drops after my operation?

Day Surgery staff will usually give you two bottles of eye drops to take home and use. It is very important to use the eye drops to settle your eye down and prevent infection.

Most patients add one drop to their operated eye, four times a day. This continues for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, reduce to one drop twice a day for two weeks, then stop.

If you develop an allergic reaction to the drops, please tell us or contact your GP who can prescribe an alternative. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include severe stinging, pain, or swelling of your eyelids.

Can I still use my other eye drops?

Yes. Please continue using your normal eye drops, such as artificial tears or glaucoma medicines. Use a fresh bottle for your operated eye and a separate bottle for your other eye for the first month after surgery.

Please leave a gap of 5 minutes between different eye drop medicines.

How do I use the eye drops / ointment?

• Read the label for the directions.

• Wash your hands.

• Sit or lie comfortably, with your head tilted backwards looking at the ceiling.

• Gently pull down your lower eyelid with one finger to form a sac.

• Holding the eye drops / ointment in your other hand, bring the dropper close to your eye and squeeze one drop into the sac. Do not let the dropper touch your eye or eyelid. If you are applying ointment, use about a quarter of an inch of ointment to the inner surface of the lower lid of your eye.

  Note: if you can, with a clean finger gently press the inner corner of your eye while, or just after, adding the drop. Hold it there for at least a minute. This blocks the tiny tear duct openings, or puncta, in the corner of your upper and lower eyelids. The blockage prevents the drop draining from your eye too quickly.

• Close your eye and blot the excess solution with a clean tissue.

• Replace the cap of the eye drops / ointment immediately after use.

• You may find it easier to get someone else to help you.

• If you need a different drop in the same eye, wait at least 5 minutes before installing the next drop / ointment.

• Unless told otherwise, only use the drops in the eye mentioned on the label.

• Use a fresh bottle / tube every 4 weeks. Once treatment is completed, discard the bottle / tube.

• If you do not have enough, get more drops / ointment from your GP before you run out.

It is important to use the eye drops / ointment for the whole month to settle your eye down and prevent infection. You can buy a plastic device to help with using the eye drops / ointment, if you need to. These are available from chemists, the International Glaucoma Association, or Kent Association for the Blind

Can I clean my eye after surgery?

Yes.

Wash your hands first. Gently clean your eye using some boiled, cooled water, made fresh every time, with some cotton wool pads. Please do not use a flannel or handkerchief on your eye for the first month because of the risk of infection.

What can I do for the first week after surgery?

• You can do your normal activities, but please do not lift anything heavy. Normal activities include reading, watching television, going out, and light housework.

• Lean backwards to wash your hair. This helps keep soap and tap / shower water away from your eye.

• Use your eye drops as instructed.

• Do not rub your eye.

• If you wear glasses, place your thumbs over the ends of the frame when putting them on, to avoid any chance of poking your eye.

What can I do two to four weeks after surgery?

• Carry on using your eye drops.

• Wash your hair as normal.

• Gradually get back to your usual routine. Return to activities such as gardening, golf, bowling, and cycling, with care.

When can I swim or use eye make-up?

When you have finished your eye drops, four weeks after your surgery. This is to reduce the risk of getting an infection in your eye.

When can I drive?

You can drive a car or a mobility scooter when you feel safe to do so and are meeting the DVLA standard as follows.

People driving a Group 1 car / motorcycle, in good light (with the aid of glasses or contact lenses if worn) should be able to read a vehicle registration number plate:

• plate registration before 1st September 2001 at a distance of 20.5 metres (approximately 67 feet or five car lengths); or

• plate registration after 1st September 2001 at a distance of 20 metres.

People driving must also meet the recommended national guidelines for visual field. More information is available on the following web sites. Or contact the DVLA for more information.

• Check if health condition affects your driving

• Driving eyesight rules Refer to the DVLA and your eyesight leaflet

[Web sites last accessed 11 March 2026]

It may help to have the lens removed from the operated side of your driving glasses, as the old lens may make your vision seem more blurry. If in doubt, speak to your optician.

Please check with your insurance company to make sure that you are covered during this period.

Will I still need my glasses?

The best vision is often not achieved until both eyes have undergone surgery. In a very few cases, it may be necessary to cover one eye for certain activities until the second eye has been operated on.

Your glasses may no longer be useful after cataract surgery. Unfortunately, there are no rules to say what will give you the best vision. Here are a few suggestions.

• If you can see better without your glasses, do not wear them.

• If your glasses still work well, you can continue to use them.

• Most patients only need glasses for the eye that has not had surgery. If it is possible, ask somebody to remove the lens from your glasses on the side where the eye has had surgery.

• If you have some old glasses at home you may wish to try them.

Will I need to see my optician?

Yes. Please make an appointment to see your optician about 6 weeks after surgery, when your eye has settled down. Please take to this appointment the paperwork the hospital staff gave you when you were discharged from hospital.

What about my other eye?

If you have a cataract on your other eye, you can discuss this with your optician. They will send a report back to your surgeon.

You may be placed on the waiting list for your second eye cataract surgery. We do not usually need to see you at the hospital again before your second operation, unless there is a problem.

There are usually a few months between the two operations. Your first eye needs to settle down and be measured by your optician, before a decision is made about your other eye.

When can I go back to work?

You can usually go back to work after 1 week, depending on what work you do. Office / computer work can start again, as soon as you feel able.

Can I travel after surgery?

Yes. It's fine to travel after surgery, including flying.

You may wish to consider how to get medical help if you are going abroad and apply for travel insurance if you wish.

What if I have concerns or questions once I am home?

Please remember that most patients have a very good result from their surgery. If you develop any problems after your operation, please contact us using one of the following numbers.

• Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Canterbury

  • Waiting List Co-ordinator
    Telephone: 01227 866444

  • Ophthalmology Suite                 
    Telephone: 01227 866493

• Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital, Margate

  • Waiting List Co-ordinator           
    Telephone: 01843 234364

  • Day Surgery Unit                       
    Telephone: 01843 234499

• William Harvey Hospital, Ashford

  • Waiting List Co-ordinator           
    Telephone: 01233 616757

  • Day Surgery Unit                       
    Telephone: 01233 616263

• Urgent Eye Service
  Telephone: 01233 616232

Please remember that all eyes are different. Your experience of cataract surgery may not be the same as other peoples.

If we are operating on both eyes, it is possible that the experience will be different on the two occasions.

Ask 3 Questions

There may be choices to make about your healthcare. Before making any decisions, make sure you get the answers to these three questions:

• What are my choices?

• What is good and bad about each choice?

• How do I get support to help me make a decision that is right for me?

Your healthcare team needs you to tell them what is important to you. It’s all about shared decision making.

What do you think of this leaflet?

We welcome feedback, whether positive or negative, as it helps us to improve our care and services.

If you would like to give us feedback about this leaflet, please fill in our short online survey. Either scan the QR code below, or use the web link. We do not record your personal information, unless you provide contact details and would like to talk to us some more.

If you would rather talk to someone instead of filling in a survey, please call the Patient Voice Team.

• Patient Voice Team
  Telephone: 01227 868605
  Email