Cataract Surgery in London
Cloudy vision, glare or difficulty seeing detail may be affecting your daily life. A cataract assessment can establish how much of the problem comes from the lens and whether surgery could help. Mr Henderson also advises patients with retinal disease or a history of previous eye surgery.
At a Glance
ProcedurePhacoemulsification
AnaestheticLocal (drops or injection)
Duration20–30 minutes, day case
LocationMoorfields Eye Hospital
The Condition
What is a Cataract?
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens — a clear structure sitting just behind the pupil that focuses light onto the retina. As the lens proteins break down with age, the lens becomes progressively more opaque, scattering light and reducing the quality of vision. Cataracts develop in almost everyone given sufficient time, typically becoming symptomatic in the sixties and seventies. They can also develop earlier following eye surgery (particularly vitrectomy), eye injury, prolonged steroid use, or as a complication of conditions such as diabetes. Common symptoms include blurred or misty vision, increased glare and haloes around lights (particularly when driving at night), faded or yellowed colours, and the need for more light when reading.
“For many patients, cataract surgery is transformative — not just correcting the cataract, but often providing the best uncorrected distance vision they have had in decades, reducing dependence on glasses.”
Surgery
Cataract Surgery in the Context of Retinal Disease
Mr Henderson assesses cataracts in patients with and without coexisting retinal disease — a situation that requires both surgical expertise and careful preoperative planning. Understanding how the underlying retinal condition will affect visual outcome, and choosing the right intraocular lens (IOL) accordingly, is central to achieving the best possible result. In particular, cataract surgery is commonly performed following vitrectomy, as the vitrectomy procedure itself accelerates lens clouding. In this context, surgery is planned carefully to avoid compromising any previous retinal repair and to ensure the IOL chosen is appropriate given the state of the macula. For patients with macular disease such as ERM or AMD, realistic expectations about visual outcome are discussed in detail at consultation. The cataract can always be removed; what limits vision is the underlying macular condition. For patients without adequate capsular support — following complicated cataract surgery elsewhere, trauma, or lens subluxation — Mr Henderson offers scleral-fixated intraocular lens surgery, including the sutureless Carlevale technique, as a secondary lens implantation option.Questions & Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
What to expect
Your Journey from Consultation to Clear Vision
1
Assessment & Biometry
Precise measurements of your eye determine the ideal lens implant power. Mr Henderson discusses your options, including premium lenses for reading and distance.
2
Lens Selection
Monofocal, multifocal, or toric lenses — Mr Henderson advises on the best choice for your lifestyle, prescription, and any co-existing retinal conditions.
3
Day-Case Surgery
20–30 minute procedure under local anaesthetic. You go home the same day. Mr Henderson personally performs all surgery — particularly important for complex or combined cases.
4
Recovery & Follow-up
Vision often improves within days. Follow-up is structured to monitor healing and confirm your final visual result.
When should I have my cataract removed?
The right time is when the cataract is affecting your quality of life sufficiently to make surgery worthwhile. There is no medical urgency in most cases — cataracts do not damage the eye by being left. However, waiting until a cataract is very dense can make surgery more technically challenging. Your surgeon will advise you on timing based on the density of the cataract and your visual requirements.
What type of lens implant will I have?
For most patients with retinal disease, a standard monofocal IOL targeted for good distance vision is recommended. Premium multifocal or extended depth-of-focus lenses are generally not suitable in the context of macular disease, as any irregularity in the macula reduces the benefit of these lenses and can worsen contrast sensitivity. Your surgeon will discuss the most appropriate lens for your individual situation.
How quickly will my vision recover after cataract surgery?
Most patients notice a significant improvement in vision within 24 to 48 hours. Vision continues to settle and sharpen over the following two to four weeks as the eye heals and inflammation subsides. The final prescription for glasses (if needed) is usually given six weeks after surgery.
Can cataract surgery be combined with retinal surgery?
Yes. In selected patients, cataract surgery and vitrectomy can be performed at the same sitting — a combined procedure called phaco-vitrectomy. This avoids two separate operations and anaesthetics, and is routinely offered to suitable patients, particularly those over 60 who already have a visually significant cataract at the time retinal surgery is required.
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Making a decision about surgery
Your consultation will cover the potential benefits, risks of complications, alternatives and recovery. The likely result depends on your diagnosis, the health of your eye and any previous treatment. An assessment does not commit you to an operation.
Arrange a Consultation
Discuss your symptoms, ask questions and understand your options before deciding on treatment.
To arrange an assessment for cataract surgery, please contact Alison Anscombe, Mr Henderson’s secretary: +44 7974 015691 · moorfields.rhenderson@nhs.netOr use the contact form on this website.
Mr Robert Henderson BSc MBBS MD FRCOphth is a Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital, and Clinical Lead for Ophthalmology at GOSH. He holds an Honorary Associate Professorship at UCL-GOSH Institute of Child Health.