Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

• Blurred vision
• Difficulty driving at night
• Difficulty watching television and reading
• Dazzled by sunlight and/or bright lights such as headlights of an oncoming car
• Fading of colours
• Frequent changes to spectacle or contact lens prescription

During cataract surgery, the natural lens inside your eye is removed from the lens capsule and an artificial lens is put in its place. In approximately 30% of patients, this capsule can thicken, which can cause your vision to become cloudy. This is called posterior capsular opacification.

PCO can be treated using a YAG laser. The YAG laser makes a small opening in the cloudy capsule, called a capsulotomy. This allows more light into the eye and restores your vision to how it was before the capsule became cloudy.

Find out more about YAG Laser Capsulotomy.

Absolutely. Your daily routine, whether it involves reading, driving, or computer use, will influence your ideal intraocular lens choice. Let your consultant know what matters to you.

If you’re going through the NHS, you’ll most likely be offered a standard monofocal IOL, which corrects distance vision only.

Freedom Vision offers additional lens options:

• Multifocal: for distance, near and intermediate vision.
• Toric: for astigmatism.
• Enhanced Monovision (EMV): for balanced vision with fewer side effects.

Find out more about the choice of lenses available at Freedom Vision.

No. The lens is not visible. However, when the light is just right, others may see a faint reflection off the surface of the lens right in the centre of your pupil, almost like a gleam in your eye.

With NHS services, wait times can range from weeks to months depending on where you live. Freedom Vision’s private patients can often have surgery within just a few weeks.

Please do not drive to your surgery appointment. Your eyes may also be sensitive to light, so please bring sunglasses for your journey home. Please don’t wear make-up we recommend having a light meal before arriving. You may be with us for up to 3-hours so feel free to bring something with you, like an audio book, whilst you wait for the dilating drops to take effect.

On the NHS, you may not know who your surgeon is until the day. At Freedom Vision, you’ll meet your surgeon in advance, and your dedicated Freedom Vision Team Member will guide you throughout.

Having cataracts removed is one of the most common and well-established surgeries in the UK, with around half a million procedures performed each year. Like any surgical procedure, there are still risks involved. At your initial assessment, the clinician will take time to explain these and give you the opportunity to ask questions.

For the first few days after cataract surgery, it’s normal to have blurred vision, double vision, watery and/or gritty eyes, or red or bloodshot eyes. These side effects will normally go away within a few days, but it can take 4-6 weeks for your eye to completely heal and for you to make a full recovery.

You will usually see improvement the very next day.

It is OK to resume light exercise from 1 week following surgery. Please avoid swimming or gardening for 2 weeks. Also, be careful to avoid dusty environments for 2 weeks following surgery. You cannot drive until you meet the legal driving requirement (reading a car registration plate at 20 metres).

All of our costs are listed on our price list on our website. Take a look at our price list here.

At Freedom Vision, we warmly welcome patients from all around the world. If English is not your first language, or if you have a disability that affects your ability to communicate, we are here to support you. We can arrange interpreter services and document translation to ensure you feel comfortable and fully informed during your care with us.

If you require interpreting services or document translation, please reach out to your local Freedom Vision clinic as soon as you receive the details of your appointment. This allows us to make the necessary arrangements to meet your needs. We can provide a quote for your requirements. Please contact us to discuss further.

At your Freedom Vision consultation, our team will carefully assess whether eye surgery is right for you. One of our senior optometrists will carry out a series of non-invasive eye examinations, tests, and scans to understand your vision needs in detail.

Once this is complete, your consultant will meet with you to explain the treatment options best suited to your lifestyle and answer any questions you may have. You will have the opportunity to speak directly with your surgeon before surgery, so you feel fully informed and confident in your decision.

At Freedom Vision, we work in partnership with SpaMedica hospitals and we value patient feedback. We appreciate hearing about your experience and are committed to addressing any concerns you may have.

You can share your thoughts or raise a concern in any of the following ways:

• Speak to us directly: Talk to a member of staff at your hospital.
• Email us: info@freedom-vision.co.uk
• Write to us: Chief Operating Officer, Freedom Vision Head Office, 43 Churchgate, Bolton, BL1 1HU
• Call us: 0330 058 5023

We are here to listen and ensure that your experience with Freedom Vision meets the highest standards of care.