How does the procedure work?
As a person ages, the lens of the eye undergoes changes which cause it to lose transparency impairing the patient’s ability to see. In cataract surgery, the patient’s natural lens is removed in a painless and safe manner. It is replaced with an artificial lens that is tailored to the visual needs of each patient. The prescription inbuilt into each replacement lens, plus additional manoeuvres performed at the time of the cataract surgery, facilitate the restoration of the patient’s vision. Dr Singh has performed thousands of cataract procedures and taught advanced cataract surgery techniques to eye doctor trainees for many years.
Not all cataracts require surgery. If you do require surgery, most operations are performed with local anaesthetic and sedation. It is a day stay procedure allowing patients to go home on the day of the surgery.
Where is the procedure performed?
The Hospital of Specialist Surgery where Dr Singh performs his operations, has the latest equipment from leading manufacturers. This state-of-the-art facility was opened in 2015 and has a purpose designed and built ophthalmic operating suite. The operating microscope at the hospital integrates with the device that Dr Singh uses in the rooms to measure the eye pre-surgery. This allows the optimum outcome for each patient.
The eye theatre was designed with Ophthalmologist input from the outset to create a calm environment for patients and staff.
Healthy clear lens
Lens with cataract
What does the day of the procedure look like?
After check in, the patient is taken to a relaxing private area with views over the adjoining lake for their pre-surgery eye drops. From there they move to the spacious ophthalmic anaesthetic bay. After the sedation and local anaesthetic is administered, you will move into the ophthalmic operating theatre, one of the biggest in Sydney.
The HSS Eye Unit has state of the art equipment, with an Alcon Centurion Phaco System. This machine was only released internationally recently, making it one of the first units in Sydney. The Centurion has been optimised to reduce the energy required to remove a cataract. It makes cataract surgery a better experience for patients and surgeons by being safer, with a more predictable outcome and faster healing time. The operating suite features the latest ceiling mounted Carl Zeiss microscope with Callisto image guidance system for toric intraocular lenses. This will reduce post-operative astigmatism and help achieve the best possible visual results.
