The Queen has cataract surgery

HRH Queen Elizabeth had uncomplicated cataract surgery last month. Cataracts happen to everyone eventually and cataract surgery is the most commonly performed elective surgery in the country. The results of cataract surgery are now excellent and modern surgery is performed through tiny keyhole incision with rapid healing and minimal restriction on lifestyle after surgery.  The Queen can be seen wearing sunglasses in this photo as eyes can feel sensitive to the sun for a few days after surgery.

The natural lens is a lens-shaped bag of clear protein. With age, the proteins in the lens change and become less clear and eventually cloudy. This happens to everyone, just as our skin or hair changes as we get older. When a surgeon does a cataract operation they make a small opening in the front of the bag that contains the lens protein which allows them to remove the cloudy protein. A new clear artificial intraocular lens is then placed within the bag/capsule of the natural lens to replace the natural lens. This lens can correct longsight, shortsight and astigmatism and can even be multifocal to allow sight without glasses. Surgery typically takes 10-15 minutes under local anesthetic.

We wish HRH a swift recovery from her surgery and hope she enjoys the clarity of her new vision.

You can learn more about cataract surgery on our procedure page.

The three surgeons at OCL are recognised as three of the best cataract surgeons in the country. To arrange a consultation or for more information on the latest lenses contact us.