Cataract removal surgery at Spire Little Aston Hospital

At Spire Little Aston, our team of ophthalmologists (eye specialists) can offer you cataract treatment and lens options that are recommended for you and your needs.

We offer fast access to diagnostic tests and scans, and easy booking with appointment times to suit you, so you don’t have to wait long to find out if treatment is right for you.

At Spire Little Aston, we offer a range of intraocular lenses. Your consultant will help you choose the best option for you.

We also have special equipment which use a variety of biometry and refractive techniques to measure the shape and size of your eye. This is so your consultant can calculate the power of your intraocular lens implants.

You may still need to wear glasses afterwards, depending on your eyesight and your choice of lens.

Getting here

Spire Little Aston is just to the north of Sutton Coldfield. We're a short 25 minute drive from Birmingham city centre. Birmingham New Street is the nearest mainline station to Spire Little Aston Hospital. We have free parking on-site for you and your visitors.

Your consultations

One of our experienced consultant ophthalmologists will be able to offer you an initial consultation within a few days of you contacting us.

All your consultations will take place in one of our 20 consultation rooms. During your consultations, we'll:

• Ask about your medical history
• Carry out a series of tests, including a sight test and biometry testing to calculate the power of the new intraocular lens (IOL) required
• Explain about the procedure, anaesthetic, the different types of IOLs available, and any potential cataract surgery complications and risks and how they may affect you
• Give you a chance to ask any questions you have about your treatment

After your initial consultation, and if you decide to go ahead with surgery, one of our nurses will do your pre-operative assessments. This is to save you from having to come back again before your procedure.

On the day of your procedure, you’ll come into Spire Little Aston and meet your healthcare team. If you’ve come with a family member or friend, they’re welcome to wait in our restaurant or lounge while you have your procedure.

You’ll only be here for a few hours, so you won’t need to bring too much with you. You may like to bring a change of shirt in case the fluid used to clean your eye gets onto your top.

You’ll be given a local anaesthetic in your eye, and your consultant may also give you a sedative to make you feel more relaxed during the procedure.

When you’re ready, your consultant will:

• Make a small incision (cut) into the front of your eye (the cornea)
• Remove your cloudy lens using phacoemulsification – this breaks up the lens into small fragments
• Insert your new intraocular lens

After your cataract surgery, you’ll be taken to a recovery room to relax until your surgeon says you’re ready to go home. This is usually a few hours after cataract surgery.

Although everybody’s different and you should always follow your consultant’s advice, here’s a typical recovery timeline for cataract surgery: