Private cataract surgery South-West London

Improve blurred vision caused by cloudy areas on the lens of the eye.

At Spire St Anthony’s Hospital, we use trusted and clinically proven techniques to improve blurred eyesight caused by cataracts and get you back to everyday life.

During cataract surgery, your consultant will remove the cloudy lens in your eye and insert a clear artificial lens.

Sometimes also called

  • Phacoemulsification

At a glance

  • Typical hospital stay
    A few hours

  • Procedure duration
    1 hour

  • Type of anaesthetic
    Local

  • Available to self-pay?
    Yes

  • Covered by health insurance?
    Yes

Why Spire?

  • Fast access to a wide range of treatments
  • Consultants who are experts in their field
  • Clear pricing with no hidden charges
  • Rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission

By Wallace Health I Medically reviewed by Adrian Roberts.
Page last reviewed: October 2018 I Next review due: October 2023

Cataract surgery: what to expect at Spire St Anthony's Hospital

Here at Spire St Anthony’s Hospital, we’re proud to have a team of ophthalmologists (eye specialists) that provide cataract removal surgery centred around your needs.

We offer fast access to tests, scans and treatment and hassle-free booking with appointment times to suit you.

How much does Cataract removal surgery cost at Spire St Anthony's Hospital

We offer many ways to pay and our inclusive prices and access to payment plans make it easy and more affordable, even if you don’t have medical insurance.​

We can't display a fee for this procedure just now. Please contact us for a quote.

Spire St Anthony's Hospital can provide you with a single, fixed price for your procedure so there are no surprises. Please read Spire Healthcare's terms and conditions for full details of what’s included and excluded in your fixed price when paying for yourself. Finance options are available through our partner Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd, 10 Norwich Street, London, EC4A 1BD.

Procedures offered for cataract surgery at Spire St Anthony's Hospital

At Spire St Anthony’s Hospital, we offer a range of intraocular lenses. Your consultant will help you choose the best option for you. They include:

  • Monofocal – corrects either short or long sight, with a choice of three focal points
  • Toric – a monofocal lens that helps correct astigmatism (a problem with focusing)
  • Multifocal – corrects both near and distance vision, like varifocal glasses

We also have special equipment which uses a variety of biometry and refractive techniques to measure the shape and size of your eye. This is so your consultant can calculate the power of your intraocular lens implants.

You may still need to wear glasses afterwards, depending on your eyesight and your choice of lens.

Preparing for cataract surgery at Spire St Anthony's Hospital

Getting here

Spire St Anthony's Hospital is close to Sutton and Epsom. Sutton and Cheam stations are both on the Victoria and London Bridge line. Worcester Park station is on the Waterloo to Epsom line. We have free on-site parking available for you and your visitors.

Your consultations

An appointment will be arranged with one of our highly trained consultants within a few days of your enquiry. You’ll meet them in one of our 19 consultation rooms to discuss any symptoms or a previous diagnosis. They may carry out tests such as:

  • Sight tests
  • Biometry testing – to calculate the power of the new intraocular lens (IOL) required

Your consultant will explain how cataract surgery works and the options available to you, what you can expect afterwards and any risks. We encourage you to ask any questions you may have at this stage.

Cataract removal surgery

Watch how cataract removal surgery takes place

Cataract surgery: your procedure

Your appointment should take no more than an hour. There’s no need to pack an overnight bag, however, we suggest you bring a change of shirt as fluid may get onto your clothes when cleaning your eye.

If you’ve come with a friend or family member, they’re welcome to wait in our lounge or restaurant while you have your operation.

Before your cataract operation, you’ll meet your healthcare team and will be given a local anaesthetic in your eye, and sometimes also a sedative to relax you.

You’ll then have the procedure, which will involve:

  • Making a small incision (cut) into the front of your eye (the cornea)
  • Removing your cloudy lens using phacoemulsification – to break up the lens into small fragments
  • Inserting your new intraocular lens

Q & A

Roger McPherson, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

Talking about cataract surgery

Cataract surgery: your recovery

After your cataract surgery, you’ll be taken to a recovery room to relax until your surgeon says you’re ready to go home. This is usually a few hours after cataract surgery.

Although everybody’s different and you should always follow your consultant’s advice, here’s a typical recovery timeline for cataract surgery:

1 week

Any eye pain, redness or itching should go

7-14 days

Stop wearing eye shield at night

10-14 days

Clear eyesight restored

4-6 weeks

Fully back to normal

  • 1 week


    Any eye pain, redness or itching should go

  • 7-14 days


    Stop wearing eye shield at night

  • 10-14 days


    Clear eyesight restored

  • 4-6 weeks


    Fully back to normal

The treatment described on this page may be adapted to meet your individual needs, so it's important to follow your healthcare professional's advice and raise any questions that you may have with them.

How to get to us

Spire St Anthony’s Hospital is a large private hospital providing an extensive range of treatments and services for our patients in Sutton and the surrounding Surrey and south London area.

Find us on Google maps

Use geographic coordinates/what3words

Spire St Anthony's Hospital,

801 London Road
Cheam
Sutton
SM3 9DW

Get in touch

Important information about Covid-19 tests

COVID-19 testing or antibody tests are not available as a standalone service at Spire St Anthony's Hospital.

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https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cataracts/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cataract-surgery/recovery/

http://www.rnib.org.uk/eye-health/your-guide-cataracts/when-should-i-have-cataracts-surgery 

http://www.rnib.org.uk/campaigning-current-campaigns/eye-health 

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng77/chapter/recommendations#referral-for-cataract-surgery 

https://www.rcophth.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/2010-SCI-069-Cataract-Surgery-Guidelines-2010-SEPTEMBER-2010-1.pdf 

https://www.rnib.org.uk/eye-health-eye-conditions-z-eye-conditions/cataracts-laser-treatment-following-cataract-surgery