Planning for Cataract Surgery
Mr Dean has performed over ten thousand surgeries, both in the UK and abroad. Many of them complex and carried out in the most challenging conditions. Our aim is to put you at ease and to answer all your questions and any concerns you might have. Whilst creating a calming environment and working with his highly professional and dedicated team, Mr Dean aims to give you the highest quality service and outcome.
When traveling to either of our clinics in Cheltenham, Tetbury or Cirencester for the initial consultation, we recommend you please do not drive yourself as we will need to place pupil-dilating drops in your eye, and these will blur your vision for a few hours. This enables us to complete a comprehensive examination of your eyes. Mr Dean will go through all eye health and general health questions with you before examining you. He will also need to do some very precise measurements of your eyes which will enable him to predict as accurately as possible what lens power to recommend according to your vision needs.
The Day of Surgery and the Cataract Procedure
The only way to treat cataracts is an operation that takes about 20 minutes. It is performed under local anaesthetic, and you will come in to the hospital and go home the same day. Typically, you should expect to spend just over an hour or two in the hospital.
On arriving at the hospital the nurse will place two drops in your eye to dilate the pupil. One of these might sting a little, but this is perfectly normal. We will then check you in and go over some health questions, just double checking and confirming on information previously given.
Mr Dean will come to greet you in person and make sure you are happy with everything before carrying on. He will place a mark above the eye to be operated on, and place in two more eye drops: an anaesthetic to start numbing the eye and some iodine to start sterilising.
Once in theatre we will make you comfortable on the operating table. You will need to lay on your back facing upwards. We will place a pillow under your knees as this is helpful in relieving pressure on your lower back. We will then triple check all your details one final time before starting.
Once started a soothing cold fluid will be placed around the eye to sterilise the area, and a thin drape will be placed over your face. Don’t worry, although this might sound slightly claustrophobic it will not be lying on your nose or mouth and there will be lots of fresh air and oxygen under the drape.
You will see the bright light of the microscope, but then that’s it. Most of the next 10-15 minutes will be only a colourful kaleidoscope – you won’t see any of the surgery itself. Although you will hear the ultra-high speed phacoemulsification machine as Mr Dean works on the cataract there will also be soothing and relaxing music playing in the background to help put you at ease. Throughout the procedure you will hear Mr Dean talking to his team when needed.
You will see the bright light of the microscope, but then that’s it. Most of the next 10-15 minutes will be only a colourful kaleidoscope – you won’t see any of the surgery itself. Although you will hear the ultra-high speed phacoemulsification machine as Mr Dean works on the cataract there will also be soothing and relaxing music playing in the background to help put you at ease. Throughout the procedure you will hear Mr Dean talking to his team when needed.
We are very happy to talk you through the procedure as it is carried out, but of course if you prefer peace and quiet this is also fine. We recommend you do not talk too much throughout as we need your head as still as possible. However, if you do need to cough or have a question, then please raise your hand or let us know and Mr Dean will only be too happy to pause.
Then before you know it, we will remove the drape (often the most uncomfortable bit as it may feel like pulling off a plaster around the eye) and place the clear shield over your eye. We will then sit you up and after seeing the discharge nursing team briefly, you’ll be on your way. Again, we recommend you do not try and drive yourself.