Phacoemulsification cataract surgery is a modern method of cataract removal and replacement with a biocompatible lens implant inside the eye. The cloudy crystalline lens is called the cataract inside the eye, positioned behind the clear window of the eye (cornea) and the coloured part of your eye (iris).

Advantages

Over 90% of patients achieve excellent (20/25 or better) distance vision without glasses.
Premium cataract surgery is very successful, with very high patient satisfaction and extremely low complication rates.
The procedure typically takes less than half an hour and does not require an overnight stay.
Vision is usually improved the day after surgery.
Recovery is typically short and uneventful.
The lens implants are permanent and ordinarily do not need to be replaced.
Sharmina Khan corrects everyone’s astigmatism when performing premium cataract surgery
Disadvantages

Compared to traditional cataract surgery, the adaptation period is longer after surgery and it may take more time for your vision to stabilise.

Phacoemulsification cataract surgery is the most common procedure carried out in the United Kingdom and has a good safety profile and outcomes.
Sharmina Khan will discuss individual risks and benefits when you attend for a consultation.

Femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery (FLACS)

Femtosecond laser cataract surgery works using ultrafast pulses in the range of 10-15 per second. This allows a greater deal of precision, and is less invasive than other methods, resulting in reduced strain on the surrounding tissue and a quicker recovery.

Premium cataract surgery with Sharmina Khan includes laser-assisted technology to enhance precision. In these cases, a femtosecond laser is first used to create a highly accurate, bladeless incision through the cornea. The laser also helps by creating a precise circular opening in the lens capsule and softening the cataract for easier removal.
Standard phacoemulsification cataract surgery remains the most common method of cataract removal, where a small incision (2.2–2.4 mm) is made in the cornea and a probe is inserted to emulsify the cataractous or clear crystalline lens.
This is a day case procedure carried out under local anaesthetic and sedation. Due to her experience, Sharmina Khan usually employs topical (drops) anaesthesia and only subtenon’s (an injection around the eye) if the case is higher risk. Sedation allows for a more relaxed patient experience.
The cataract is accessed through the corneal incision using a pen-like phacoemulsification probe.
This probe vibrates at ultrasonic frequency to soften (emulsify) the cataract and break it into small, manageable pieces, which are then aspirated (vacuumed out) through fluid-filled plastic tubing away from the eye.
A foldable lens implant is then inserted into the eye in a taco-like shape, unfolding in place for ideal positioning and stability.
This is also a refractive opportunity to reduce your spectacle dependence or even achieve near-complete spectacle independence. This can be achieved by employing either blended mini-monovision or trifocal lenses, tailored to suit your lifestyle and vision goals.

After cataract surgery, patients can usually go home within a few hours. In the days that follow, there may be some discomfort within the first week. Visual recovery is experienced the next day and will continue to improve in the first week and thereafter. Full recovery can take up to 12 weeks.