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Frequently Asked Questions
Get clear, expert-backed answers to the questions patients ask us most — from understanding procedures to what to expect on the day of surgery.
Expert Eye Care Guidance
Choose a category below to find answers related to your specific concern. Our specialists have compiled the most common queries for you.
The first consultation lasts for around 30-45 minutes. You will have an eyesight test, a discussion about your problem and a clinical examination which usually includes a ‘dilated fundus’ check. The dilated fundus check involves instilling eyedrops to dilate the pupils so that the retina (light sensitive film) and the optic nerve (seeing nerve) can be examined. A treatment plan will then be initiated.
No. The consultation often requires the doctor to dilate your pupils using eye drops. This allows a better view of the fundus or back of the eye. Dilating the pupils can blur your vision and make it unsafe to drive.
Eyedrops are used for various reasons but the most commonly used are numbing eye drops, pupil dilating eye drops, eye pressure lowering eye drops, dyes and antibiotics. They help in performing a comprehensive eye examination.
This will depend on the type of eye drop that was used. Most will wear off within 4-6 hours. Dilating eye drops can blur your vision for up to 6 hours so you must take particular care when driving or performing any task which entails prolonged near work, reading or using a computer.
The majority of you (around 98%) will undergo a straight forward procedure and can return to work between 1-2 weeks depending, of course, on what kind of work you do. Its important to remember that the surgical wound is only 2.2 mm in size and no stitches are used. Therefore, if your job involves heavy lifting or straining, it is best avoided for at least 4 weeks.
Legally, to drive a car, you must be able to read (with both eyes open) a number plate from 20 meters. There are a number of other things to consider when you start driving again after surgery. Is the eye sore/ gritty/ watery or is there glare? Are your eyes feeling off-balance? In the first 4 weeks after surgery the two eyes may not be working together which can lead to loss of 3D vision (depth & distance perception). As long as you pass the number plate test and your eyes feel comfortable, you can return to driving. In the first few weeks you should exercise caution and avoid long distance driving, night driving or any challenging conditions.
This symptom is called a ‘negative dysphotopsia’ and can occur despite successful cataract surgery. In most cases it is temporary and caused by light passing through the edge of the implant (edge effect). Most cases settle and the best option is to wait. There are treatment options available for the 2% of cases that persist beyond 6 months.
Dry eye syndrome after cataract surgery is very common and often not taken seriously. However, it is being increasingly recognised as a post-surgical syndrome that requires treatment with eyelid heat compress and moisturising eye drops. It can take up to 3 months to improve.
Macular degeneration is ageing or wear & tear of the retina (light sensitive film at the back of the eye). It most commonly affects the central part of the retina known as the macula. Wear and tear of the retina without abnormal blood vessels is called ‘dry’. If the wear and tear is associated with the growth of abnormal blood vessels then it is known as wet macular degeneration. These can cause bleeding, leakage of fluid and scarring within the macula causing quite rapid and permanent sight loss. Macular degeneration usually starts in its dry form, some will never progress to the wet form, and the sight loss is slower over several years.
There is no current treatment for dry macular degeneration although there is ongoing research. Wet macular degeneration is treated with a course of intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF drugs (Lucentis, Eylea, Avastin and Beovu). These are ‘damage limitation’ rather than curative treatments which act on the abnormal blood vessels to reduce the leaking & scarring in the macula. The success of these drugs depends on early detection and prompt treatment as well as ongoing therapy for at least 2 years. In the early stages of treatment the injections will be given every 4 weeks but as the condition becomes more stable these intervals can be increased to 12 or 16 weeks.
The wear and tear is not caused by ‘over-use’ of your eyes so there is no need to restrict any activities. The strongest risk factor is increasing age. Smoking is a known risk factor so if you are a smoker then this is another good reason to give up smoking. Macular degeneration also runs in some families. If you have a strong family history of the condition then regular annual eye tests and self-monitoring of symptoms (straight lines looking crooked, blob in vision) will help identify the condition early. A Mediterranean diet or any healthy diet that includes regular helpings of green leafy vegetables and oily fish may be of benefit.
No. Although macular degeneration can affect both eyes, it usually not at the same time or in the same disease stage in each eye. In addition, macular degeneration affects the centre of the retina so patients will lose their central vision but keep their peripheral vision. While you will not be able to recognise faces or read small print your peripheral vision will allow you to walk about without difficulty. In some patients, where the damage is localised, the eye can adapt to using paracentral vision form some tasks. Hence the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.