{"id":132352,"date":"2025-09-12T14:08:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T14:08:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/132352\/"},"modified":"2025-09-12T14:08:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T14:08:07","slug":"study-finds-double-cataract-surgery-is-better-for-patients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/132352\/","title":{"rendered":"Study finds double cataract surgery is better for patients"},"content":{"rendered":"

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New research suggests that patients undergoing double cataract surgery could safely receive simultaneous operations, potentially leading to a quicker recovery. <\/p>\n

Typically, individuals requiring treatment for both eyes have their procedures staggered, with several weeks between operations to allow for the healing of one eye at a time. <\/p>\n

While the option for double surgery exists, it remains standard practice for cataract procedures to be performed separately, often prioritising the most severely affected eye first.<\/p>\n

Cataracts are diagnosed when the lens in the eye becomes cloudy. This causes blurred vision and loss of sight.<\/p>\n

New research, published at the Congress<\/a> of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS), suggests surgery can be performed safely and effectively on both eyes on the same day.<\/p>\n

One study concluded that double cataract surgery, also known as simultaneous bilateral cataract surgery, \u201cenables a rapid return to self-sufficiency, thereby reducing the overall burden on caregivers\u201d.<\/p>\n

Researchers from Denmark<\/a> surveyed around 70 patients and found that most regained self-sufficiency \u201cimmediately\u201d after they arrived home.<\/p>\n

But they highlighted that a \u201csignificant portion\u201d of patients benefit from having a caregiver present during the first day after the operation.<\/p>\n

The author of the study, Mia Vestergaard Bendixen, an ophthalmic nurse from Silkeborg Regional Hospital, said: \u201cOur results show that many people can expect to manage well soon after surgery, which may ease anxiety about needing support. However, some still benefit from a caregiver during the first day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf surgery can be carried out in one go, this could reduce clinic visits and caregiver burden, as well as improving efficiency in healthcare delivery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Cataract<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

Cataract surgery on both eyes can be carried out safely at the same time, a study suggests (PA)<\/p>\n

A second study, published by experts at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London<\/a>, compared outcomes among patients fitted with different types of lenses \u2013 monofocal, which provide sharp vision at one distance, or multifocal lenses, which split light to allow focus at multiple distances, aiming to reduce the need for reading or distance glasses.<\/p>\n

They analysed more than 5,800 patients who received cataract surgery during 2023 at the eye hospital \u2013 some of whom had same-day surgery while others received separate treatment for each eye.<\/p>\n

Researchers assessed various different measures of vision after the surgeries were performed.<\/p>\n

Patients receiving multifocal lenses with same-day surgery achieved the best overall visual outcomes, the authors said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor patients, these findings are encouraging,\u201d said Dr Gabriele Gallo Afflitto, from Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust<\/p>\n

\u201cThey suggest that having cataract surgery performed in both eyes on the same day, particularly when combined with multifocal lens implantation, can deliver excellent vision, reduce dependence on glasses, and allow faster recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Commenting on the studies, Dr Joaquin Fernandez, secretary for the ESCRS, said: \u201cTaken together, these two studies show that cataract surgery to both eyes in one session can be performed safely, with patients recovering well at home and, crucially, achieving visual outcomes as good as or better than when surgery is performed in two steps.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cThere are many potential advantages to treating cataracts in both eyes in one go.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot only does it reduce hospital visits for patients, it also saves time for hospital staff, potentially allowing them to see more patients.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":132353,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[102,2960,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-132352","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthcare","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-healthcare","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=132352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132352\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/132353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=132352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=132352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=132352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}