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How do you choose your cataract surgeon and clinic?

Private cataract surgery is an alternative to public so you may choose who will operate on your eyes. This choice of surgeon is a very important.

There are valuable ways to choose your cataract surgeon and clinic.

Cataract surgery restores vision and focus for your most important sense, and largest source of information. Our eyes also convey and create strong emotions. It is worth spending some time considering who you would want to operate on your delicate eyes.

I believe it is worth travelling further– nowhere is truly far in Adelaide – for the cataract surgeon you believe is the best for you. Another 20-50 minutes travel may be worthwhile for the vision you will gain from cataract surgery and potentially enjoy every waking minute the rest of your life.

It may also be worth considering spending a little more, if you can, rather than insisting on surgery with no out-of-pocket costs, in order to obtain the surgeon you believe is best for you and your eyes.

What factors make a good cataract surgeon and cataract practice?

A short list could possibly include:

  • Surgical experience in terms of years and number of cataract procedures performed
  • Further subspecialty training in a Fellowship in Cataract and or Refractive Surgery
  • Written and video information about cataract surgery accessible prior to your appointment allowing you to be best prepared for your specialist appointment.
  • Explanations of the full range of options regarding your need for spectacles after cataract surgery including toric and multifocal implants, and monovision.
  • Presented or published statistical analysis of the accuracy of cataract surgery outcomes and complication rates compared with international standards
  • full explanation of all cataract surgery costs in writing
  • full explanation of all cataract surgery risks in writing
  • access to a modern comfortable day surgery specializing in cataract and lens surgery only, with experienced staff and a total stay of perhaps two hours only
  • The option of “no needle” topical anaesthesia for cataract surgery
  • You may also wish to consider whether your choice of cataract surgeon and clinic offers access to laser vision correction to fine tune your focus at no cost to you, if required after cataract surgery

I believe these factors are too important for your eyes and vision to ignore. The above factors may turn out to be available at your nearest and or cheapest cataract surgeon, or at one that is further away and a little more expensive. Either way, by carefully considering the above factors first, you will have tremendous satisfaction you have made the best choice deciding in whose hands to place your most treasured eyes and vision.

How to choose a cataract surgeon

All patients think their eyes and vision are very very important. So it makes sense to be prepared to travel a little further across town if necessary for this one off operation. It also makes sense to ask a few questions before agreeing to cataract surgery.

These are some questions any cataract surgeon should be able to answer without hesitation.

How many cataract procedures the surgeon has done?

At Laser Vision SA we have done over 25,000 successful cataract surgeries.

To make your eye numb, do they use needles around your eye or drops only?

At Laser Vision SA we use drops only which means no needles around the eye and no eye patch is needed. This means possibly better balance and mobility. For patients with one seeing eye only to NOT have their eye patched is particularly important.

Complication rate for example posterior capsular rupture?

At Laser Vision SA it is 0.1%

Percentage of patients whose spectacle prescription outcome is within + / - 0.5 D of intended?

At Laser Vision SA it is 93% of patients

Do they offer you a choice of how you may use spectacles after cataract surgery?

At Laser Vision SA we offer all patients where possible a choice of no glasses for driving, no glasses for reading, or reduced spectacle dependence for both through monovision or multifocal lens implants, depending on your preference

Is your cataract surgery performed at a dedicated cataract day surgery with afternoon bookings so you can sleep in?

We do, at a fully accredited, dedicated cataract surgery facility the Glen Osmond Surgicentre, 45 Glen Osmond Rd, Eastwood, where patient arrivals are staggered every 15 minutes, so you will have their full attention.