Private cataract surgery Southampton

At Spire Southampton Hospital we have many dedicated ophthalmologists who specialise in cataract removal surgery to improve your vision in a relatively straightforward procedure.

There’s no need to wait to have cataract surgery. We offer access to tests, scans and treatment without the wait, and easy booking with appointment times to suit you.

At Spire Southampton Hospital, we offer a range of intraocular lenses. Your consultant will help you choose the best option for you. They include:

• Monofocal – corrects either short or long sight, with a choice of three focal points
• Toric – a monofocal lens that helps correct astigmatism (a problem with focusing)
• Multifocal – corrects both near and distance vision, like varifocal glasses

We also have special equipment which uses 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.

How to find us

We’re a 10 minute taxi ride from Southampton Central train station or 15 minutes from Southampton International Airport, with free parking available.

Your consultations

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

Your appointments will take place in one of our 16 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

On the day of your procedure, you’ll come into Spire Southampton Hospital and meet your healthcare team. If you’ve come with a friend or family member, they’re welcome to wait in your private room while you have your operation.

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: