Eye condition
Cataract
The natural lens clouds with age, so vision dims, colours flatten and headlights start to dazzle. It cannot be remedied with eye drops or glasses, but in a lens exchange the cloudy lens is replaced with an artificial lens.
30+ years of experienceFree assessmentAn experienced surgical team throughout
What is cataract?
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens. The lens, normally clear, gradually becomes opaque so that less light reaches the retina and vision turns hazy, dull or washed out.
Cataracts are extremely common and are a normal consequence of ageing, most often developing from around the age of 60. Surgery to replace the clouded lens is one of the most frequently performed procedures in modern medicine.
Cataract is a common age-related change in the lens of the eye. With age, the lens becomes cloudy, eventually giving symptoms such as misty vision, glare, difficulty reading, yellowing of colours and a general weakening of sight. Clouding of the lens can occur early in life due to eye injuries, metabolic disorders, diabetes and inflammatory conditions, and in some cases a tendency to early cataract is hereditary.
Cataract can be treated with lens surgery. This is done by removing the eye’s natural lens through a very small self-sealing incision of about 2.4 mm and replacing it with an artificial lens. The treatment is performed under anaesthetic eye drops, and there is normally no pain associated with it.
Symptoms of cataract
Common signs include:
- Vision that is cloudy, hazy or misty
- Colours appearing faded or yellowed
- Glare or halos around headlights and streetlights
- Needing more light to be able to read comfortably
- Frequent changes to your glasses prescription
If you recognise several of these, a diagnostic eye examination will establish what is causing them.
What causes cataract?
Most cataracts result from age-related changes in the proteins that make up the lens, causing it to lose transparency. Other contributing factors include diabetes, long-term steroid use, previous eye injury or surgery, smoking, and prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light. Cataracts can occasionally be present from birth.
How a cataract treatment proceeds
The eye is anaesthetised
Before the treatment, the eye is numbed with anaesthetic eye drops. The treatment is performed on an outpatient basis and usually takes 15 minutes per eye.
The cataract is corrected by means of a refractive lens exchange, meaning the natural lens is replaced with an artificial lens. The natural lens sits immediately beneath the iris and consists of two parts: the lens nucleus and the lens capsule.
The natural lens is removed
First, the natural lens is removed. A small circular incision is made in the lens capsule, through which the lens nucleus is removed. The lens capsule is left in the eye and acts as a “holder” for the new lens.
The new multifocal lens is implanted
The new artificial lens is then inserted. The power of the lens is carefully calculated before the treatment on the basis of precise ultrasound measurements. You receive an artificial lens that is designed to last for the rest of your life.
This can be either a monofocal or a trifocal lens. As a monofocal lens has only one focal point, you may still need glasses after the treatment. A trifocal lens, by contrast, has several focal points and can therefore give good vision at different distances and reduce the need for glasses.
Different lens types for treating cataract
The advantages of trifocal lenses compared with monofocal lenses
A cataract treatment can be performed with either monofocal or trifocal lenses.
Trifocal lenses have three focal points and are designed to give good vision at short, intermediate and long distances. This can reduce the need for glasses after the treatment.
By contrast, monofocal lenses have only one focal point and can therefore only provide good vision at either short or long distance. If you are operated on with a monofocal lens, you cannot entirely avoid using glasses.
Over 45: Lens exchange
Our multifocal and trifocal lenses correct vision by replacing the eye's natural lens with an artificial lens.
With our monofocal lenses, we correct one particular part of your vision, whether at near, intermediate or long range.
Why does cataract occur?
Cataract often occurs with age. The cells in the eye's lens die and are not replaced as in most of the body's other organs; instead they are laid down on top of the existing cells. For the lens to remain clear, the cells and their protein content must lie in very precise patterns. Over the years, irregularities can arise that make the lens unclear.
The protein content of the cells also causes the lens nucleus to harden with age, so it is no longer able to curve the lens in the correct way. This means the focal point is displaced on the retina at short distances. Cataract can thus be regarded as part of the body's natural decline.
In the vast majority of cases, cataract occurs as a result of ageing, but the risk can be increased by the following influences:
- X-rays – either infrared or ultraviolet rays
- Eye injuries and repeated inflammation of the iris
- Smoking – both passive and active
- Prolonged courses of treatment with corticosteroids
Cataract can, however, also occur in connection with illnesses such as diabetes (diabetes mellitus) and other metabolic disorders. In addition, illness during pregnancy can increase the risk of the child being born with cataract. Only in rare cases are children born with cataract.
One of the world's most common eye conditions
Cataract is treated on an outpatient basis by surgically replacing the cloudy natural lens of the eye with a modern artificial lens, also called an intraocular lens. It is one of the most frequently performed and best-documented procedures in eye surgery.
EuroEyes has many years of experience in treating cataract, partly thanks to the pioneering work of Dr Jørn Slot Jørgensen. As early as 1990, he used a new micro-incision technique, phacoemulsification, for outpatient cataract treatment. Less than a year later, he introduced treatment without an overnight stay, which was a new form of treatment at the time. Since 1990 we have performed many thousands of cataract treatments.
The treatment process – step by step
1. No-obligation consultation
- We clarify which treatment method may be relevant for you and whether you are suitable for treatment.
- The examination typically takes 30 minutes
- Thorough eye examination and measurement of your eyes
- The eye doctor explains the treatment in detail
- Before this examination, you should not have worn hard contact lenses for two weeks or soft contact lenses for three days
- Please note that you cannot drive after the eye examination, as you will be given pupil-dilating eye drops
2. On the day of treatment
- We recommend wearing comfortable clothing on the day of treatment
- Bring a companion if possible
- You can eat and drink as usual, but you must avoid smoking
- For reasons of hygiene, it is important that you avoid all make-up and perfume
- We are happy to give you a mild sedative before the treatment
- You are given anaesthetic eye drops
- The outpatient procedure takes roughly 10–15 minutes per eye
- After the treatment, you will not be able to drive yourself
3. After the treatment
- Please do not rub your eyes
- Use eye drops as directed by your doctor
- Lubricating eye drops as needed
- You can return to work after 2–4 days
- You can resume sporting activities after about 1–2 weeks, but avoid swimming and saunas at first
- Check-up examinations take place the day after the treatment and one month later. If you need further check-ups, we will arrange these with you
How we treat cataract
Which solution may be relevant for you is clarified at the free assessment. There, we also examine whether you are suitable for treatment.
If you have been diagnosed with cataract, you are entitled to an operation through the public health system – but waiting times can be very long. By paying for the treatment yourself, you can skip the waiting list at EuroEyes.
When you choose cataract surgery at EuroEyes, you are met by an experienced team who accompany you throughout – before, during and after the treatment. We use modern equipment and place great emphasis on high quality in both treatment and aftercare.
Refractive cataract surgery
The clouded lens is removed and replaced with an artificial one. Your existing prescription can be corrected at the same time by the lens chosen.
Typically considered for: Established or developing cataract.
Trifocal lenses
A replacement lens with three focal points, giving vision at near, intermediate and far distances.
Typically considered for: A wish for good vision at short, intermediate and long range.
EDOF lenses
Extended depth of focus lenses give a continuous range of vision, which some patients find more natural at night.
Typically considered for: People who often drive in the evening or at night.
Clear Lens Exchange
Replacing the lens before a cataract has formed, where presbyopia or a strong prescription is the main concern.
Typically considered for: Before a cataract develops.
What the process involves
Free assessment
A thorough diagnostic examination lasting around 1–2 hours. Here we establish whether you are suitable for treatment.
Your options
One of our eye surgeons explains which methods may be relevant for you, what the individual treatments involve and the risks associated with them.
Treatment
Under anaesthetic drops, around 15 minutes per eye. Most patients feel little or no discomfort.
Follow-up
Scheduled check-ups are included in your all-inclusive treatment price.
Learn more at our free webinars and information evenings
We regularly hold information evenings and webinars where our eye surgeons explain the treatments at EuroEyes and answer questions.
“Many patients describe the moment afterwards as a quiet shift – simply waking up and seeing the world clearly, without reaching for glasses or lenses.”Dr. Jørn Slot Jørgensen – Founder, Medical Director and CEO of EuroEyes
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Frequently asked questions
Is cataract surgery safe?
It is among the most commonly performed and well-documented procedures in modern medicine. As with all surgery it carries risk, including infection and, rarely, a lasting reduction in vision quality. Your surgeon will discuss the risks relevant to your eyes.
Will I be awake during surgery?
Yes. Your eye is numbed with anaesthetic drops and most patients feel little or no discomfort. The procedure takes about 15 minutes per eye.
Can a cataract come back?
Not in the natural lens, because it has been removed. A clouding of the thin capsule that holds the lens – secondary cataract – can develop later in some patients. It is common and readily treated with a short laser procedure. More on secondary cataract.
Will I still need glasses afterwards?
That depends on the lens chosen. With a premium lens such as a trifocal, many patients no longer need glasses for daily life, though some use light reading glasses for very fine print. Individual results vary.
When should a cataract be treated?
When it begins to interfere with things you need to do – driving, reading, working. There is no requirement to wait until it is advanced.
Can you get a subsidy towards cataract treatment?
It is possible to receive a subsidy towards cataract treatment. If you are a member of the Danish health insurance “danmark”, you can receive a subsidy. To qualify, you must be a member of Group 1, Group 2 or Group 5 with the add-on: surgery. You must have been a member for the preceding 12 months. However, we always recommend contacting the health insurance “danmark” before undergoing cataract treatment.
When should you have cataract surgery?
How vision deteriorates with cataract is very individual, so it is up to each person to decide when treatment is appropriate. Cataract causes neither stinging nor pain, so you will only notice it through worsening vision. If your sight starts causing problems in daily life, it is time to contact your eye doctor.
If cataract is not treated, it worsens further and your vision gradually declines.
Is the treatment painful?
Thanks to anaesthetic eye drops, you will feel only slight pressure during the treatment. After the treatment, there is usually no pain.
Are there any side effects of cataract surgery?
In general, the side effects of cataract surgery are mild, and serious complications are very rare.
Immediately after the treatment, you may experience a slight gritty sensation; this disappears by itself. In some cases you may also develop secondary cataract (PCO). Secondary cataract can be treated with a laser, in which the cloudy membrane is removed centrally but preserved at the periphery, where it supports the lens.
In rare cases, you may experience swelling of the retina, which can cause blurred vision; this is treated with eye drops. In very rare cases, as with other surgical procedures, infection can occur. Should this happen against expectation, you should contact your eye doctor immediately.
Suitability guide
Which path fits your eyes?
Four quick questions for a first, no-obligation indication of which treatments are usually discussed for eyes like yours.
Anonymous and non-binding. This is guidance, not a medical assessment or diagnosis.
Arrange your free assessment
Book a free, no-obligation assessment at your nearest EuroEyes clinic in Copenhagen, Aarhus or Aalborg.
