My eyes don’t hurt and my vision is clear. Why should I have an eye exam?

Regular eye exams are an invaluable tool in maintaining your eyes’ health by detecting and preventing disease. Some diseases such as glaucoma, develop gradually without causing pain or vision loss. You may not notice anything wrong until significant and irreversible damage has been done. Early detection of any problems can allow for a choice of treatment options or prevent further harm.

What is a cataract? Who is at risk for developing them?

A cataract is a cloudy area in the normally clear lens in the front of the eye. Cataracts are not [painful but they do cause symptoms including: Blurred/hazy vision Double vision in one eye(s) Sensitivity to glare A feeling of ‘film’ over the eye(s) People at risk for developing cataracts include those who are over 55, have had eye injuries or disease, have a family history of cataracts, smoke cigarettes or use certain medications.

How are cataracts treated?

Cataract surgery is the preferred method of treatment for people significantly affected by cataract. Cataract extraction and lens insertion is the most common surgical procedure in the country. During this procedure, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with an artificial one called an intraocular lens or IOL. Newer options are available to assist with cataract surgery, such as the use of a femtosecond laser.

How long does the procedure take, and how long is recovery?

The entire procedure takes 5 minutes per eye and the patients are often ready to leave within an hour or two. The flap heals on its own within a few days.

What is Surface Ablation?

Surface Ablation is laser correction without the use of a flap in the cornea. This can be advantageous when the cornea is too thin for LASIK. The results are equivalent to LASIK, but postoperative healing can take longer than LASIK.

Are there other options to correct my vision?

There are other options to correct vision. Options are dependent on the refractive aim, your lifestyle, and your age. If you have a very high stable prescription or high astigmatism and are less than 45, than phakic implantable collamer lenses may be used. These are lenses implanted into the eye. For patients older than this, refractive lens exchange may be considered if appropriate.

What is keratoconus? What can I do to improve my vision if I have keratoconus?

Keratoconus is a progressive cornea thinning disorder that usually presents in the second decade of life, but sometimes later. Methods to improve vision include spectacles, contact lenses and surgical options. Importantly there is a procedure called collagen cross linking that is designed to halt progression of keratoconus, preventing the need for cornea transplantation. Other surgical options include intrastromal ring segments, phakic implantable collamer lenses and partial or full thickness cornea transplantation.

What is a pterygium? When should surgery be contemplated?

A pterygium is a growth of conjunctiva onto the clear cornea. This is usually progressive, but sometime static. Pterygia can incur irritation, inflammation, redness, induced astigmatism, and if severe enough can obscure vision. It is appropriate to intervene surgically if any of these issues occur. A recent development in pterygium surgery is the use of tissue glue, making the procedure and the post-operative recovery much more comfortable for patients.

What is glaucoma? Am I at risk?

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. It occurs when the pressure inside the eye rises high enough to damage the optic nerve. Symptoms include blurred vision, loss of peripheral vision, halo effects around lights and painful or reddened eyes. Testing can detect glaucoma before symptoms appear and begin treatment to prevent vision loss. People at greatest risk for developing glaucoma include those who are over 40, diabetic, near-sighted, or who have a family history of glaucoma.

What are the symptoms of macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration occurs when the center of the retina degrades, causing a progressive loss of vision. Symptoms include: A gradual loss of ability to see objects clearly A gradual loss of color vision Distorted vision A dark or empty area appearing in the center of vision There are two kinds of macular degeneration: “wet” and “dry.” The “wet” form can be treated in its early stages. Regular eye exams are highly recommended to detect macular degeneration early and prevent permanent vision loss.

What is diabetic retinopathy and how is it treated?

Macular degeneration occurs when the center of the retina degrades, causing a progressive loss of vision. Symptoms include: A gradual loss of ability to see objects clearly A gradual loss of color vision Distorted vision A dark or empty area appearing in the center of vision There are two kinds of macular degeneration: “wet” and “dry.” The “wet” form can be treated in its early stages. Regular eye exams are highly recommended to detect macular degeneration early and prevent permanent vision loss.

Can diabetic retinopathy be prevented?

Yes. People with diabetes are most susceptible to developing it, but your risk is reduced if you follow your prescribed diet and medications, exercise regularly, control your blood pressure, and avoid alcohol and cigarettes. Regular eye exams are an integral part of making sure your eyes remain healthy.

Patient Information

LASER SURGERY

CATARACT SURGERY

Laser Surgery

Scheduling Your
Surgery

Preparing for
Your Surgery

Fees and
Rebates

After Your
Surgery

Scheduling Your
Surgery

Preparing for
Your Surgery

Fees and
Rebates

After Your
Surgery

Scheduling Your Surgery

Once confirmed as a suitable candidate for eye laser surgery, you will be offered various options for dates and locations.
Some patients, such as those with dry eye, may require additional consultations to reconfirm refraction.
Surgeries are scheduled fortnightly at each location. For bilateral surgeries, both eyes will be operated on the same day.
You will receive a call from the theatre one week or less before your surgery to confirm your arrival time.
COVID testing is currently not mandatory.
All consent forms and payments must be completed one week before surgery. If you become unwell or contract COVID-19, your surgery will need to be rescheduled based on theatre availability.

Preparing for Your Surgery

Eat before your surgery.
Avoid wearing contact lenses or makeup for one week (sometimes two weeks) prior to surgery.
Do not apply any products to your body before surgery.
Purchase preservative-free artificial tears for use before and after surgery.
You may need to visit Envision Eye Centre for complimentary testing before surgery or the George St Eye Centre on the day of surgery for testing (which incurs a $100 fee). Note there may be a waiting period between your arrival and surgical times at the George St Eye Centre.
Arrange for a caregiver to drive you home after surgery, stay with you overnight, and take you to your post-operative check-up the next day. If you do not have a caregiver, plan to take a taxi home after an extended wait in the theatre to ensure sedation has worn off.
You will receive a surgical pack that includes:
- Date, location, and session (AM or PM) of your surgery
- Post-operative appointment details
- Pre- and post-operative instructions
- Patient brochure
- Surgical consent form
- Financial consent form
Patients can request a medical certificate for one week off work. Caregivers may also request a certificate for the surgery day and post-operative appointments.

Fees and Rebates

All fees for surgery are elective and do not qualify for Medicare or health fund rebates.
Fees cover surgeon fees, facility fees, consultations related to surgery for three months (with a referral and Medicare card), prescription medications, and a warranty. If touch-up surgery is needed, there are no surgical fees for three years and reduced facility fees in the second and third years post-operation.

After Your Surgery

Patients can leave the theatre immediately after surgery.
Post-operative appointments are scheduled for one to two days after surgery, one week after surgery, and three weeks after surgery.
A topography scan will be performed at the third appointment to assess the health of the cornea.

Cataract Surgery

Scheduling Your
Surgery

Preparing for
Your Surgery

Fees and
Insurance

After Your
Surgery

Scheduling Your
Surgery

Preparing for
Your Surgery

Fees and
Insurance

After Your
Surgery

Scheduling Your Surgery

Once confirmed as a suitable candidate for cataract surgery, you will be provided with various options for dates and locations.
Multiple consultations will be required to calculate the lenses using an IOL Master device.
Surgery can be scheduled as follows: one eye per admission a week apart, one eye per month, or both eyes simultaneously, depending on individual circumstances.
We operate at Chatswood Private Hospital, Sydney Day Hospital, and Camden Surgical Hospital. Each hospital will contact you one day before surgery to provide arrival time, fasting instructions, and COVID-19 screening.
COVID testing is currently not mandatory.
All consent forms and payments must be completed one week before surgery. If you become unwell or contract COVID-19, your surgery will need to be rescheduled based on hospital advice.
If you are taking Warfarin, we will order an INR blood test. Dr. Kumar will provide guidance on when and how to complete this test to confirm your suitability for surgery.

Preparing for Your Surgery

Arrange for a caregiver to drive you home after surgery, stay with you overnight, and drive you to your post-operative check-up the next day. If you do not have a caregiver, we can arrange an overnight stay for you.
You will receive a surgical pack that includes:
- Date, location, and session (AM or PM) of your surgery
- Post-operative appointment details
- Pre- and post-operative instructions
- Patient brochure
- Hospital brochure and admission form
- Surgical consent form
- Financial consent form
- Feedback forms
Patients can request a medical certificate for one week off work. Caregivers may also request a certificate for the surgery day and post-operative appointments.

Fees and Insurance

As our practice is a private facility, we advise patients to check with their health funds regarding coverage for cataract surgery before scheduling an appointment. This will allow us to provide a clear estimate of fees.
Insured patients are responsible for surgical and anaesthetist fees, with rebates available from Medicare and health funds, and may need to pay excess fees to the hospital for lenses and day theatre admission.
Uninsured patients must pay for surgical and anaesthetist fees (with Medicare rebates available), and we will provide a quote for theatre and lens fees at their chosen hospital.

After Your Surgery

After surgery, you will remain in recovery for a minimum of three hours before being discharged.
Post-operative appointments are scheduled for one to two days after surgery, one week after surgery, and three weeks after surgery.
An OCT scan will be performed at the third appointment to assess the health of the retina.

Patient Information

Laser Surgery

Scheduling Your
Surgery

Preparing for
Your Surgery

Fees and
Rebates

After Your
Surgery

Scheduling Your
Surgery

Scheduling Your Surgery

Preparing for
Your Surgery

Preparing for Your Surgery

Fees and
Rebates

Fees and Rebates

After Your
Surgery

After Your Surgery

Cataract Surgery

Scheduling Your
Surgery

Preparing for
Your Surgery

Fees and
Insurance

After Your
Surgery

Scheduling Your
Surgery

Scheduling Your Surgery

Preparing for
Your Surgery

Preparing for Your Surgery

Fees and
Insurance

Fees and Insurance

After Your
Surgery

After Your Surgery

Contact Us

Sign Up To Our Newsletter

Are you leaving?