“Your eyes see only what your mind knows — therefore who checks your eyes matters.”
Accurate Diagnosis
Remember the saying, “Your eyes see only what your mind knows.” Therefore who checks your eyes matters. The inside of the eye is intricately formed with multiple vital structures — the cornea, the anterior chamber angle, uvea, lens, optic nerve, macula and retina — and each must be healthy to contribute to visual recovery after surgery.
An adequate examination tells the surgeon whether the dimness of vision is solely due to cataract, whether there is any co-existing eye disease, whether it is treatable, and whether it needs intervention before cataract surgery. This helps decide the optimum timing of surgery and any modifications needed to prevent complications.
Get your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist — not an optometrist, however qualified. An accurate diagnosis decides which investigations you need.
Optimal Investigation
Every structure in the eye serves a different purpose and has its own set of diagnostic tests. Done appropriately — and with instruments of high specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility — these give accurate measurements, differentiate normal from disease, and guide early treatment.
Safe Instrumentation and Technology
Once the decision to operate is taken collectively by surgeon, patient and relatives, specific tests determine the power and type of IOL best suited to your eye. Undergoing surgery is the most crucial stage — and it is common for a simple cataract to turn complicated during surgery. Good outcomes depend on machines with optimised technology, the right devices and accessories to salvage the eye in challenging situations, and a surgeon who understands the machine for its optimal use.
“Hope for the best and prepare for the worst” — make sure your surgeon, team and operating theatre are equipped and experienced for both simple and complicated situations.
Single-Use Devices
Single-use devices are intended for one patient, one procedure, then disposal. Our policy at My Vision Eye Care is that we will not reuse any “single-use” item under any circumstances. Reuse can reduce safety and machine performance, and puts patients at risk of serious infections such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and possibly HIV. Reusing single-use devices is, unfortunately, one of the common ways surgery packages are made cheaper.
Sterilization Technique
Effective disinfection and sterilisation prevent healthcare-associated infections, and must be maintained at every level of patient management. Inappropriate attention during surgical preparation, surgery, or post-operative care can cost eyesight. Adhering to protocols for quality control determines enhanced safety to the eye.
Safe and Approved Medicines
Medicines made by companies following Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) are consistently produced and controlled to quality standards — from raw material to dispatch. Because medicines are integral to preventing disease, treatment and eye safety, we never compromise here.
Optimum Surgical Technique
Most modern cataract procedures are done under topical anaesthesia — no injections around the eye and no patching — significantly reducing associated risks. A high-frequency ultrasound device breaks the cloudy lens into small pieces removed through an incision; this is phacoemulsification, or “phaco”. Smaller incisions promote faster healing and fewer complications, and the most widely accepted technique today is micro-coaxial phacoemulsification. Improvement in vision always depends on the visual potential of each individual eye.
Surgeon’s Experience and Surgical Skill
Cataracts come in many forms — from simple, age-related ones to complicated cases involving co-existing disease, difficult environments, or eyes that have had previous surgery. Simple procedures have very high success rates, but a seemingly simple cataract can reveal a complication during surgery — and this is where experience matters. Complicated cataracts, and premium “lifestyle-enhancing” IOLs, demand extra skill, accurate measurements and meticulous surgery.
Realise that an eye surgery affects your eyesight until your last breath. Your eyes deserve the best — do not settle for anything less.
An IOL with the Safest and Longest Track Record
Many aspects of vision after cataract surgery depend on the IOL implanted — brightness, colour, sharpness, glare tolerance, and more. Unlike glasses or contact lenses, an IOL cannot simply be removed if you are unhappy with it; re-operating carries risk each time. An IOL’s design, material, shape, size, insertion, positioning and healing all matter. If you or someone you know will undergo cataract surgery, consider your options carefully on our Lifestyle-Enhancing IOLs page.
Choose your IOL wisely — it decides how well you will see for the rest of your life. While cost matters, it is not prudent to decide based on insurance terms and conditions alone.
Adhering to the Highest Standards of Quality Control
If my own parents or sibling were to undergo surgery, would I accept anything but the best? When patients put their faith and trust in us, it is our moral responsibility to give them the best advice and treatment to restore their eyesight. All our activities, decisions and advice are governed by one truth: seeing is such a privilege, and we cannot take this gift for granted.