• Cloudy, blurry or foggy vision
  
• Dimming of vision
  
• Increased glare 
  
• Loss of colour vibrancy
  
  

• Diabetes
  
• Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation
  
• Genetic disorders
  
• Smoking
  
• Prolonged use of drugs
  
• Previous eye injury or trauma
  

The most common form of cataract surgery is phacoemulsification, a 20-minute procedure often performed under local anaesthesia as a day surgery. 

Patients with more advanced cataract may undergo a more traditional surgery known as extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE). This surgery, lasting about 30 minutes, requires a larger incision and visual rehabilitation will take longer. Sutures may need to be removed one to two months after surgery.

Cataract surgery involves the removal of the existing lens, replacing it with an intraocular lens with  refractive power correction. Typically, a monofocal lens, correcting vision for distance only, is used in the process. 

• You MUST inform your surgeon if you have undergone laser refractive surgery performed (e.g. LASIK, PRK, epi-LASIK, SMILE) previously. Please bring along records of your previous treatment as the information is important in ensuring accurate IOL calculation.
  

• You will need to stop wearing contact lens (at least one week for soft lens and at least two weeks for hard lens) prior to undergoing intraocular lens (IOL) calculation for surgical planning.
  

Cataract surgery is done as a day surgery procedure, and patients are usually discharged a few hours after the surgery. Post-surgery, a follow-up schedule is established, with clinic appointments schedule one day, one week and one month after the operation. Patients who undergo ECCE may require suture removal one to two months after the surgery.

After the procedure, patients are given an eye shield for use during sleep. It is advised that patients refrain from rubbing their eyes and maintain cleanliness and dryness of the operated eye.  

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) is the latest type of cataract extraction surgery, wherein a precise laser is used to replace certain steps of standard phacoemulsification. A laser creates an opening in the anterior lens capsule and softening the lens nucleus. It aims to reduce damage to the inner surface of the cornea while increasing precision of intraocular lens placement.

The laser procedure is first performed on a separate machine before the patient is transferred to the surgical bed for completion of the cataract surgery. The surgeon evaluate an individual's suitability for this procedure.

Standard monofocal lens corrects for distance vision; however, reading glasses will still be required for near vision.

Monovision is a form of presbyopic correction whereby one eye is corrected for distance and the fellow eye is corrected for near vision. This allows for spectacle independence in selected patients. However, fine depth perception may be compromised. 

• Do you mind wearing glasses (for distance and/or near)?
  
• Do you hope to be spectacle-free?
  
• Are you very sensitive to glare and haloes?
  
• Do you do a lot of reading or computer work?
  
• Would I be suitable for monovision?
  
• What are my hobbies?
  

• Professor Paul Chew
  
• Associate Professor Clement Tan
  
• Clinical Associate Professor Caroline Chee
• Associate Professor Lingam Gopal
  
• Associate Professor Ray Manotosh
  
• Dr Gangadhara Sundar
  
• Dr Loon Seng Chee
  
• Associate Professor Victor Koh
  
• Dr Chan Hwei Wuen
• Dr Charmaine Chai
  
• Dr Dawn Lim
  
• Dr Hazel Lin
  
• Dr Su Xinyi
  
• Dr Vivien Lim
  
• Dr Yuen Yew Sen
• Dr Janice Lam
• Dr Blanche Lim
• Dr George Thomas
• Dr Katherine Lun
• Dr Marcus Tan Chun Jin
• Dr Lai Yien
• Dr Sun Chen-Hsin
• Associate Professor Chelvin Sng (Visiting Senior Consultant)
  
• Dr Lennard Thean (Visiting Senior Consultant)
• Dr Paul Zhao (Visiting Senior Consultant)
  
• Dr Anna Tan (Visiting Senior Consultant)