Dr Claudine Pang

Of course cataract surgery can correct your astigmatism! Nowadays with the advent of technologically advanced toric intraocular lens implants, I always take the opportunity to correct all my patients' astigmatism during cataract surgery. Not only do I correct astigmatism, I also take the opportunity to correct my patients' residual powers to allow them to be as spectacle-independent as possible! I believe that cataract surgery is a great opportunity to correct your eye degree to best suit your lifestyle so that you can function well without spectacles for the majority of the time!

Yes you will still be able to have cataract surgery after LASIK. The procedure requires more detailed measurements and calculations of your eye, which your experienced cataract surgeon should be able to perform. What is important is that the eye clinic you visit has the appropriate and updated equipment and technology to make the necessary precision calculations for you.

A cataract surgery should only be performed if the patient's quality of vision is troubled significantly by the cataract to warrant a surgery. Because every surgery its risks, no matter how small or minute the risks may be, therefore the decision to undertake surgery must be carefully considered. Cataract surgery itself has very small risks and has an excellent safety profile. Hence there are not many reasons to avoid cataract surgery completely. Usually we like our patients optimized for surgery so that they can achieve the best outcome.

After cataract surgery, your vision can get cloudy again - this is because the intraocular lens that was implanted in your eye could get 'cloudy' or 'dirty' with time. This happens because our body's cells may proliferate and 'grow' on the intraocular lens to make it less clear than before. This happens in 50% of people about 1-5 years after cataract surgery. Fortunately, it usually happens only once in your lifetime and can be rectified easily with a quick 5-minute, non-invasive, painless laser procedure that 'polishes' or 'cleans' the lens to make it clear again.

The occurrence of abnormally large floaters after cataract surgery can be a sign of a complication of the surgery such as excessive inflammation, residual cataract left behind or retinal tears/detachment. These complications are uncommon and a thorough eye examination will be able to exclude them. Many patients do start to see milder pre-existing floaters that were always there but they did not notice before, because after cataract surgery their vision is suddenly so much clearer on that they can see the substances within their own eye.

After cataract surgery, the most important tips are: 1. Remember to instill post-surgery eyedrops consistently and regularly as prescribed. 2. Prevent any 'dirty' or contaminated water from entering the eye (for example, swimming pool water). 3. Avoid dusty or 'smoky' places or wear protective eye-wear if you should need to be exposed to such environments. 4. Avoid rubbing your eyes because you don't want to irritate your healing wound. 5. Try to avoid strenuous exercise in the first week to allow optimum healing of your wound. 6.

Poor night vision can be brought about by either cataracts or retinal problems! If you have not already seen an eye doctor, you should see one to get checked for whether any cataract or retinal condition is present. A useful clue would be ask if any of your family members also have poor night vision. If it seems that your parents or siblings also have poor night vision, it could indicate a hereditary retinal condition. If your retina is all healthy and you are suffering from an increasing cataract, then yes, cataract surgery will most definitely improve your night vision.

The truth is that cataract surgery does bring about greater spectacle independence, however does not negate the need for glasses completely. It would be an unrealistic expectation to want to be completely spectacle free (that is likened to wishing for the eyes of a 20-year-old at the age of say 50-years). Many patients after cataract surgery will be able to function well daily without the need for spectacles, but will still fall back on a good pair of reading glasses when indulging in prolonged reading for example, reading a novel, reading the chinese newspapers, doing computer work.

The best treatments for cataract include: Eyedrops – There are eyedrops which are said to slow down the progression of a cataract. This is only effective in the case of mild cataracts that are not yet affecting your vision. New pair of spectacles – Sometimes, a simple change of your spectacle prescription could be all you need to do to improve your vision. This is because cataracts can bring about either an increase or decrease in your existing power. Again, this is only effective in the case of a mild cataract.

All of my patients whom I’ve operated on for cataract surgery experience no pain whatsoever. This is because the wound is very small (less than 2 mm in size) and the incision is performed where there are no pain (nerve) fibres. It is also important for your eye surgeon to be extra gentle and careful during the surgery. During the surgery, my patients do not experience any pain because they will be sedated comfortably. What they experience is a short nap, and upon waking up, the surgery is over.

Hi Ke Xin, Yes, the results after cataract surgery are permanent. This is because we do not expect the eye to change much in adulthood. However, if there are external factors that cause the eyeball to grow or develop astigmatism, such as excessive eye rubbing or prolonged near work, there may be changes in the cornea or eyeball length that bring about a change in the spectacle power. This can easily be correct with a new spectacle prescription. Another change which can occur to the lens implant is that it may develop lens opacification or ‘clouding’.

I prefer to perform cataract surgery with my patients under monitored sedation (this is different from general anaesthesia or GA). Monitored sedation is when patients are completely asleep (without the need for GA) and under the close monitoring of an anaesthetist. Monitored sedation (unlike GA) is very safe, even for patients who have pre-existing medical conditions. I believe that patients have the best experience and are most comfortable when they are completely unaware of the ongoings of the surgery.

Yes, it is possible to delay the progression of cataract by using eyedrops. This is reserved for people with mild cataracts only. These eyedrops need to be used 3-4 times daily. At the same time, you may update your spectacle prescription to improve your visual blurring if possible. However, using the eyedrops will not be able to reverse or take away your cataracts completely. Ultimately, cataract surgery is still the only definitive way to remove your cataracts.

Before your cataract surgery, your eye doctor would have discussed with you at length the type of intraocular lens that will be implanted in your eye. In addition, your eye doctor would have made detailed measurements and calculations of your eye in order to determine the best power for your lens implant. Leading up to cataract surgery, your eye doctor will prescribe some eyedrops for you to put in your operated eye 2-3 days before surgery. These eyedrops include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eyedrops to prep your eye before surgery.

All my patients after cataract surgery see very well (6/6) on the first day after surgery. Although I tell my patients that they can expect a further improvement in their vision in the first week, most of them already do see very well from day 1. Most patients feel completely normal in the first week after cataract surgery. They can resume most of their normal activities except for strenuous sports and swimming with their head underwater. Complete recovery is 1 month after surgery as the wound takes time to heal.