I have performed over 10,000 cataract operations. You can find everything else I offer on my treatments page.
What is cataract surgery?
The lens behind your pupil focuses light. With age, and sometimes after inflammation, steroids or an eye injury, it slowly turns cloudy.
Stronger glasses and brighter light may help for a while, but the cloudiness will not clear by itself. Surgery is the only treatment.
Cataract symptoms, and when to get help quickly
A cataract usually develops slowly. You may notice:
- Blurred or misty vision
- Glare and haloes around lights, especially at night
- Colours looking faded
- Needing new glasses or contact lenses more often
Most of these can wait for a routine visit, but a few need help quickly:
| Your symptom | Possible cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Gradual blur, glare or faded colours | Cataract | Book a consultation |
| More pain or redness, or worse sight, after surgery | Inflammation or infection | Call my practice straight away |
| Sudden new floaters, flashes or a dark curtain | Possible detached Retina | NHS 111 or eye casualty the same day |
| Clouding months or years after surgery | Capsule clouding | Book a review with me |
| Sudden loss of sight or severe eye pain | Serious eye problem | Call 999 or go to A&E |
| Fever, confusion or fast breathing after surgery | Possible signs of infection | Call 999 or go to A&E |
Conditions cataract surgery treats
Complex cataract surgery is my subspecialty. Some eyes need extra planning beforehand and particular techniques during the operation. These are the situations I see most often:
- Age-related cataract, the most common type, described on my cataracts page
- Dense or mature cataracts, where the lens has become very hard
- Small pupils that do not widen well with drops
- Previous eye surgery
- Pseudoexfoliation, where NICE advises considering a support ring (capsular tension ring) for the lens
- Astigmatism, which a toric lens can correct at the same time
Treatment options: a lens chosen for the way you live
The new lens can also correct short or long sight. I will check whether your eye suits a particular lens and recommend one that matches what you want to see clearly without glasses.
Comparing the lens implants
| Lens | What it does | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monofocal lens implant | Available to all patients whether you are having private or NHS treatment. It allows clear vision at a single distance. Most commonly this lens is set for distance, so patients usually do not require spectacles for distance. | Good distance vision and contrast sensitivity. It can be set up for close, mid-range or distance vision. | You may require spectacles post-operatively for near or distance vision, dependent on what distance the lens is set at. |
| Extended depth of focus lens implant (EDOF) | Combines the benefits of both monofocal and multifocal lenses. It works by creating a single but elongated focal point. | Excellent intermediate vision for tasks such as computer use, as well as great distance vision. A lower risk of glare and haloes, which are very common with multifocal lenses. | You may still require spectacles for reading. |
| Multifocal lens implant | Allows better vision for near, intermediate and distance by providing three distinct points of focus. Intermediate vision is needed for working on a computer, applying make-up or using your mobile phone. Near tasks include reading, writing and sewing. | Good near, intermediate and distance vision. Reduced spectacle dependence. | Loss of contrast sensitivity. Haloes, glare and star bursts. |
| Toric lens implant | Designed for people with corneal astigmatism, where the eyeball is shaped more like a rugby ball than a football, which blurs vision. A Toric lens implant corrects this astigmatism. | It can be set up for close, mid-range or distance vision. It can be incorporated into a monofocal, multifocal or EDOF lens implant. Reduced spectacle dependence. | If a monofocal Toric lens is used, reading glasses would be required for close work. |
Monofocal plus lenses
There are also newer “monofocal plus” lenses available, which provide excellent distance and intermediate vision. Please discuss with me if you would like to consider this option. My premium lens implants page compares these lenses in more detail.
Why patients choose me for cataract surgery
- Experience: more than 10,000 cataract operations, many of them complex.
- Training: BM 2005 at the University of Southampton, FRCOphth 2012.
- Fellowship: Medical Retina at Moorfields Eye Hospital. GMC Specialist Register from 2014 (GMC 6129624).
- NHS consultant posts: West Hertfordshire (2015 to 2018) and Ashford and St Peter’s (2018 to 2023).
- Research on lens results: co-author of a 2018 study of toric lens outcomes in an NHS setting, published in BMC Ophthalmology.
- Memberships: ESCRS, AAO and The Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
Why the planning matters
NICE notes that a cataract which becomes very dense carries a higher risk of complications if surgery is delayed, and that very short-sighted people have a higher risk of retinal detachment afterwards.
If this applies to you, I will explain what it means at your consultation.
Alternatives to cataract surgery
Cataracts do not usually need treatment straight away, as the NHS page on cataracts explains. If yours is mild, waiting and having it checked again is a reasonable choice.
Surgery is also available on the NHS after an optician refers you, though there may be a wait.
What happens, step by step
01
Arrive
A calm welcome, final checks of your details and lens, and time for any last questions.
02
Prepare
Drops to widen the pupil, then anaesthetic drops given just before surgery.
03
Surgery
I remove the cloudy lens through a tiny opening and place your new lens. A routine operation usually takes 15 to 30 minutes, and the opening normally seals itself.
04
Home and aftercare
Eye drops for about 4 weeks, a follow-up check and my practice’s direct number if anything worries you.
Recovery, follow-up and a surgeon you can call
You go home the same day, driven by someone else, with written instructions for your drops and a follow-up appointment. Sight is often blurry for a few hours, and the eye may ache for a few days.
Months or years later, the capsule that holds the new lens can turn cloudy. This is posterior capsule opacification, and a short YAG laser capsulotomy usually clears it.
Getting back to normal
- Driving: I normally suggest waiting 2 weeks. The legal minimum is the DVLA eyesight standard, which includes reading a number plate from 20 metres.
- Exercise: walking is ideal. Avoid strenuous activity and heavy lifting for 6 weeks.
- Keep away from swimming pools and dusty or smoky places for 6 weeks.
- Do not rub the eye, and keep water and eye make-up out of it while it heals.
Risks to know about
Serious complications are rare. Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust gives these figures:
| Treatment | Hospital stay | Example risk |
|---|---|---|
| Routine cataract surgery | Day case | Detached Retina, about 1% |
| Complex or very short-sighted eye | Day case | Higher risk of retinal detachment |
| Any cataract operation | Day case | Infection, bleeding or inflammation (rare) |
| Capsule clouding later | Outpatient laser | Affects 10 to 20% of patients |
If the eye becomes more painful or red, or your vision gets worse, call my practice straight away on 07438 437366. Sudden new floaters, flashes or a dark curtain across your vision need help the same day: if you cannot reach me, contact NHS 111 or go to eye casualty.
Where I carry out cataract surgery
| Location | Address |
|---|---|
| Nuffield Health Woking (Wednesday mornings and evenings) | Shores Road, Woking GU21 4BY |
| The Runnymede Hospital (Tuesday afternoons, Wednesdays, Thursday mornings) | Guildford Road, Ottershaw, Chertsey KT16 0RQ |
| Mount Alvernia Hospital (Wednesday afternoons, Thursday mornings) | Harvey Road, Guildford GU1 3LX |
| VISIO Health (Fridays) | Unit 3, 4 The Courtyard, Riverside West, Wooburn Green, High Wycombe HP10 0DG |
Fees: clear costs before you decide
My consultation fees for 2026 are below. Fees may vary slightly by hospital. I see self-pay and insured patients at Nuffield Health Woking, The Runnymede Hospital, Mount Alvernia and VISIO Health. Each hospital quotes its own package price, and finance is available to spread the cost.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| New consultation | £260 |
| Follow-up | £195 |
| Surgery | Hospital package price, quoted after your assessment |
| Insurance | Recognised by most major UK insurers, including Bupa (fee assured), AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, WPA, Cigna, Aetna, Allianz, The Exeter, General & Medical, Healix, Saga and Benenden |
FAQs: cataract surgery, answered
Is cataract surgery painful?
Anaesthetic drops are used just before surgery, with more anaesthetic during the operation and a block if needed. Most people feel some pressure but no pain. If you are very anxious or cannot lie flat for about 30 minutes, I can offer sedation or a general anaesthetic.
Will I still need glasses?
Possibly, depending on the lens. With a monofocal lens set for distance, most people need reading glasses. EDOF and multifocal lenses may reduce reliance on glasses, with trade-offs. Wait until the eye settles before buying new glasses.
Can both eyes be treated?
Yes. I usually operate on one eye at a time, with the second a few weeks to a couple of months later once the first has healed. NICE says surgery on both eyes on the same day can be considered for some people at low risk of complications.
How soon can I drive?
I normally recommend waiting 2 weeks. Legally you can drive once your vision meets the DVLA standard, including reading a number plate from 20 metres, wearing glasses if you need them. You should not drive yourself home on the day of surgery.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can contact me directly without a GP referral. Some insurers ask for a referral from a GP or Optometrist before they cover treatment, so if you are claiming, check your policy first.
How long does recovery take?
Most people go home the same day and use drops for about 4 weeks. Sight is often blurry for a few hours, and the eye may ache for a few days. Strenuous activity, heavy lifting and swimming wait for 6 weeks.
Is cataract surgery major surgery?
It is a quick day case, usually under local anaesthetic, so you are awake but should not feel pain. Like any operation it carries some risk, which I go through with you beforehand.
Can a cataract come back after surgery?
No, the cataract itself cannot return, because the cloudy lens has been removed. The capsule behind the new lens can turn cloudy months or years later, and a short laser treatment usually clears it.
Is there an alternative to surgery?
Not one that clears the lens. Stronger glasses and brighter light may help for a while. If your cataract is mild, waiting and having it checked again is a reasonable choice.
How much does private cataract surgery cost?
A new consultation is £260 and a follow-up is £195. Each hospital prices the operation and lens together after your assessment, and finance is available to spread the cost.
Book a consultation: a direct line to your surgeon, before and after surgery
There is no call centre or switchboard. Call my practice on 07438 437366, email enquiries@soniamall.co.uk or request an appointment online. I aim to reply within 24 hours.
Out of hours, contact NHS 111. Call 999 or go to A&E for sudden loss of sight, severe eye pain or signs of infection.
