Procedure · Eye care
Cataract services
Cataract services cover the evaluation of a cataract, a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, and factual information about surgery when it is being considered. The ophthalmologist measures your vision, examines each eye, and discusses the findings. Measurements of the eye are taken if surgery is planned.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Meera Krishnan, MBBS, MS (Ophthalmology) —
At a glance
The essentials.
- Practice
- Eye care
- Type
- Consultation or procedure
The full guide
What it is
A cataract evaluation checks whether a cataract is present, how much it explains your symptoms, and whether anything else is affecting your vision. The assessment covers the whole eye, not the lens alone, because blurred vision can have more than one cause.
Why an ophthalmologist may recommend it
An evaluation may follow gradual blurring, glare in bright light or at night, frequent changes of glasses, or a cataract noticed at a routine examination. A cataract does not always need treatment when it is found; the evaluation establishes how much it affects your sight and daily activities.
How to prepare
Bring your current glasses, previous eye reports, and a full list of your medicines with doses. Dilating drops are used, so near vision will be blurred for a few hours; plan for someone else to drive you home.
If surgery is discussed
Surgery is the only treatment that removes a cataract: the cloudy lens is removed and an artificial lens is usually placed in the eye. Most cataract operations are day procedures done under local anaesthetic. Whether and when to consider surgery is a decision you make with the ophthalmologist, based on how the cataract affects your daily life. The benefits and risks that apply to you are explained before any decision; this page is educational and does not promise any particular result.
Safety, limitations, and when to contact the clinic
The evaluation itself is low-risk. Contact the clinic if you develop eye pain or a sudden change in vision while waiting for an appointment or a planned procedure, rather than waiting for the date.
This website is for information and appointments. It is not monitored for emergencies. For sudden loss of vision, a serious eye injury, or severe eye pain with nausea or vomiting, call 108 for an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department.
Results and follow-up
The findings are explained at the same visit. If surgery is not needed now, a review interval is agreed. If surgery is planned, the clinic explains the steps, gives written instructions, and arranges the follow-up visits after the operation, where healing is checked and glasses are reassessed once the eye has settled.
Sources
Before you come
What to bring and how to prepare
A short checklist to run through before your appointment. If anything here is unclear, call the clinic and ask.
- Bring your current glasses, previous eye reports, and a full list of your medicines with doses.
- Dilating drops are used, so near vision will be blurred for a few hours; plan for someone else to drive you home.
What happens
On the day.
What to expect from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave.
before
Getting ready
your vision is measured with a letter chart, and drops are given to widen the pupils.
during
During the visit
the ophthalmologist examines the lens and the rest of the eye with the slit lamp, including the retina at the back. If surgery is being considered, measurements of the length and curvature of the eye are taken with light or ultrasound to choose the lens implant. Nothing sharp touches the eye during the evaluation.
after
Afterwards
apart from the temporary blur from the drops, there is no recovery time.
Before your appointment
Frequently asked questions
Practical answers about preparation, timing and what happens at the clinic.
Does a cataract always need surgery?
No. Many cataracts are simply monitored. Surgery is considered when the cataract interferes with your daily activities; the decision and its timing are made with the ophthalmologist.
What happens in cataract surgery?
The cloudy natural lens is removed and an artificial lens is usually placed in the eye. Most operations are day procedures under local anaesthetic. The ophthalmologist explains the benefits and risks that apply to you before any decision.
Will my glasses change after surgery?
The lens implant changes how the eye focuses, so your glasses are reassessed after the eye has settled. The ophthalmologist tells you when that check happens.
Where this fits
Related care and consulting times.
The conditions this is used alongside, and when the consultant sees patients at the clinic.
Consultation hours
- Eye care
- Mon–Sat, 5:30 PM–8:30 PM.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Meera Krishnan, MBBS, MS (Ophthalmology) —
Appointments
Plan your visit.
Mon–Sat, 5:30 PM–8:30 PM.