Signs that point to cataracts:
- Cloudy or blurry vision.
- Colors seem faded.
- Glare. Headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright. A halo may appear around lights.
- Poor night vision.
- Double vision or multiple images in one eye. (This symptom may clear as the cataract gets larger.)
- Frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Cataract surgery is a procedure to remove the lens of your eye and, in most cases, replace it with an artificial lens. Cataract surgery is used to treat a cataract — the clouding of the normally clear lens of your eye. Cataract surgery is performed by an eye doctor / ophthalmologist on an outpatient basis, which means you don’t have to stay in the hospital after the surgery. Cataract surgery is very common and is generally a safe procedure.There are two types of cataract surgery. Your doctor can explain the differences and help determine which is better for you:
- Phacoemulsification, or phaco. A small incision is made on the side of the cornea, the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye. Your doctor inserts a tiny probe into the eye. This device emits ultrasound waves that soften and break up the lens so that it can be removed by suction. Most cataract surgery today is done by phacoemulsification, also called “small incision cataract surgery.”
- Extracapsular surgery. Your doctor makes a longer incision on the side of the cornea and removes the cloudy core of the lens in one piece. The rest of the lens is removed by suction.
After the natural lens has been removed, it often is replaced by an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL). An IOL is a clear, plastic lens that requires no care and becomes a permanent part of your eye. Light is focused clearly by the IOL onto the retina, improving your vision. You will not feel or see the new lens.Some people cannot have an IOL. They may have another eye disease or have problems during surgery. For these patients, a soft contact lens, or glasses that provide high magnification, may be suggested.
The following is a table of cataract surgery cost in Singapore hospitals.
Day Surgery (Private Patients with no subsidy)
Hospital Volume Average Length Of Stay (days) 50th Percentile Bill Size ($) 90th Percentile Bill Size ($) Changi General Hospital 174 1.0 2,942 3,545 Gleneagles Hospital 1,911 1.0 4,891 6,634 Khoo Teck Puat Hospital 175 1.0 3,093 4,293 Mount Alvernia Hospital 1,111 1.0 3,512 4,428 Mount Elizabeth Hospital 1,311 1.0 4,868 7,224 National University Hospital 601 1.0 3,765 5,266 Parkway East Hospital 332 1.0 3,898 5,037 Raffles Hospital 102 1.0 4,541 6,047 Singapore National Eye Centre 3,793 1.0 3,093 3,968 Tan Tock Seng Hospital 1,645 1.0 2,860 3,895