General information to help you prepare for a conversation with your Neo Vision doctor.
The lens is a clear, flexible disc behind the pupil. It focuses light onto the retina, the light-sensing layer at the back of the eye. A cataract is when this lens slowly turns cloudy, so less light gets through. Vision becomes dimmer, blurrier and less colourful, like looking through a dirty window.
Glasses fix the focus of a clear eye, but they cannot clear a cloudy lens. When daily life is affected, surgery is the way to remove the cloudy lens.
| Type | Where it forms | What you may notice |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | Centre of the lens, which hardens and yellows | Blurry distance vision, faded colours, trouble reading |
| Cortical | Outer edge of the lens, in white wedge-like streaks | Glare, especially at night |
| Posterior subcapsular | Back of the lens | Trouble in bright light and when reading. Can progress faster |
Ageing is the most common reason. Other factors include diabetes, long-term steroid use, smoking, eye injury and long sun exposure.
The natural lens loses flexibility with age, so close focus slips. This is called presbyopia. It is one reason some patients choose a lens that helps with near vision.
Cataract surgery at Neo Vision is a day-care procedure. It is described as no injection, no stitch, with no hospitalisation. In surgery, the cloudy lens is replaced with a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL).
Your doctor will discuss what the day-care visit involves for you.
See the Pre-appointment ChecklistIn cataract surgery, your cloudy natural lens is replaced with a clear artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL). Different lenses focus light in different ways. The right choice depends on your eyes, your daily activities and your doctor's advice.
General tendencies, not guarantees
General tendencies, not guarantees
General tendencies, not guarantees
General tendencies, not guarantees
General tendencies, not guarantees
General tendencies, not guarantees
General tendencies, not guarantees
General tendencies, not guarantees
| Monofocal | EDOF | Trifocal | Toric add-on | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | Clear | Clear | Clear | Depends on base lens |
| Intermediate (screens) | Glasses usually needed | Clear | Clear | Depends on base lens |
| Near (reading) | Glasses usually needed | May need glasses for fine print | Clear | Depends on base lens |
| Astigmatism | Not corrected | Not corrected | Not corrected | Corrected |
| Night glare or halos | Lowest chance | Low to moderate | More likely | Same as base lens |
| Dependence on glasses | Highest | Lower | Lowest | Reduces astigmatism-related glasses |
These are general tendencies, not guarantees. Your doctor will advise based on your examination.
