Cataract Surgery
The clouded natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens.
Save up to 70% vs the UK & Germany
- Stay in Istanbul
- 4-5 days
- Time in theatre
- 20 min
- In hospital
- Same-day discharge
- Anaesthesia
- Anaesthetic drops
- Back to work
- 3 days
- Full result
- 1 months
Overview
A cataract is the natural lens of the eye losing its clarity over time, so colours fade, lights glare and night vision deteriorates. This is not a cosmetic procedure; it is the treatment of a medical condition that takes sight away, and no drop, vitamin or exercise reverses it. During surgery the clouded lens is broken up with ultrasound energy and removed, and an intraocular lens chosen for your eye is implanted in its place. It is done under anaesthetic drops, takes about 20 minutes and you go home the same day.
Benefits
- The clouding, washed-out colours and night-time glare of a cataract are reversed
- Anaesthetic drops, a small incision without stitches and same-day discharge
- With the right lens choice, part of your existing prescription can be corrected too
- Sight usually improves noticeably within the first few days
- Desk work is generally possible after about 3 days
Who is this treatment for?
Usually suitable
- Sight that has become cloudy, with glare that makes night driving difficult
- Vision that no longer sharpens with a change of glasses
- Eyes whose retina and optic nerve are found healthy at examination
Needs assessment first
- Macular degeneration, advanced glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy, which limit the visual gain
- Uncontrolled diabetes or active eye infection or inflammation, treated first
- Patients on prostate medication, because of floppy iris; always declare your medicines
Final suitability is decided by your consultant after examination and imaging in Istanbul.
Your treatment, step by step
- 01
Free online consultation
Describe your symptoms, any diagnosis you already have and the medicines you take. A first assessment and a stay plan follow within 24 hours.
- 02
Examination and lens calculation
The density of the cataract, the retina and eye pressure are assessed, and biometry calculates the lens power. The choice between a monofocal and a multifocal lens is made here.
- 03
Day of surgery
Under anaesthetic drops the lens is removed by phacoemulsification through a small incision and the folded implant is placed. It takes around 20 minutes and stitches are usually unnecessary.
- 04
Checks and flight home
You are seen the day after surgery and again before you travel. You leave with a drop schedule and, if relevant, the plan for the second eye.
Aftercare & long-term tips
Follow the drop schedule, and for the first week avoid rubbing the eye, heavy lifting and long periods bent forward. Stay out of pools and the sea for at least three to four weeks. Your new glasses prescription usually stabilises at about one month; you can have that refraction done at home and send us the result.
First 24 hours
Stick to soft, lukewarm foods and drinks; avoid very hot or hard items while any numbness or sensitivity settles.
First few days
Ease back into normal eating as sensitivity fades — usually within a few days.
Long term
Eat normally and protect your result with the simple habits below.
Do
- Brush twice a day and floss daily
- Attend your regular check-ups and cleanings
- Wear a night guard if you grind your teeth
- Keep the area clean and rinse as advised
Avoid
- Biting very hard objects — ice, pen lids, shells
- Opening bottle or soda caps with your teeth
- Too many hard nuts or sticky, chewy sweets
- Smoking and staining drinks in the first days
What's included
- Free consultation & treatment plan
- Treatment by specialist dentists
- 5-star hotel accommodation
- Private VIP airport transfers
- Personal translator & 24/7 support
- Aftercare & treatment guarantee
Risks and an honest expectation
As in any operation that enters the eye, infection, raised pressure, macular swelling and, rarely, retinal detachment can occur; these are uncommon but serious. Technical difficulties such as a tear in the posterior capsule are more frequent in dense, long-standing cataracts and can require further intervention. Where retinal or optic nerve disease is present, removing the cataract may still leave limited vision, and that is discussed openly before surgery.
They flew in. They flew home changed.
Frequently asked questions
Other treatments in this department
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