Optegra launches pioneering cataract treatment for NHS patients

For the first time ever in the UK, and possibly the world, Optegra has offered NHS patients a pioneering “treble” of cataract care:

While each of these elements have been successfully carried out before and medically evidenced individually, Optegra is the first to offer all three to patients at one time.

Optegra aims to roll-out drop-free surgery to all its NHS patients in the UK in the coming weeks including those booked for treatment at Optegra Eye Hospital Birmingham.

Optegra Medical Director and consultant ophthalmic surgeon, M. Alastair Stuart, explains: “This trial at our Hampshire hospital is our latest approach in putting patients’ care and experience as well as outcomes at the very centre of what we do.  

“For many years now we have been providing high-volume cataract surgeries for the NHS with the lowest complication rates, but we don’t want to stand still. We are always looking at ways to innovate and improve our care for patients, and this approach has delivered the ultimate in convenience, as well as a medical advance which really is outstanding.”

Mr Stuart explains the three elements in this pioneering approach: “Normally after a cataract removal procedure, patients leave with a rather intense drop regime. They have four different types of drops which they need to take three or four times a day, up to four weeks. This is quite a commitment and hassle for patients – in fact it is typically the only thing some patients have difficulty with! They can sting and can be hard to administer particularly for older patients. Now, due to medical advances, we are now able to apply a steroid injection as part of the surgical procedure, which eliminates the need for any drops whatsoever. This is revolutionary for patients’ post-operative care.

“On top of this, we have provided treatment for both eyes on the same day.  While we do this regularly for private patients and so have a wealth of medical evidence showing how effective this is, and how well this is received, the normal pathway for NHS patients is to have one eye treated and then return several weeks later for the second eye. The downside of this, particularly for patients with strong prescriptions, is the imbalance between the two eyes in those interim weeks – it can be quite uncomfortable and make people feel unsteady when one eye has perfectly clear vision having been operated on, and the other is still cloudy. By treating both eyes on one day – bilateral surgery – the patient leaves with excellent vision in both eyes, which immediately decreases risks of falls etc.

“Any finally we are always looking at convenience in the patient experience.  By completing the pre-operative diagnostic tests and consultation on the same day of treatment, patients have been delighted to reduce the number of visits to the hospital – especially if they have some distance to travel and having to rely on friends or family to be available also, as the patient cannot drive themselves home.”

The patients who participated in this trial at Optegra Eye Hospital Hampshire were delighted with the care they received.

Jim Hayles, 70, has had cataracts for years but wears glasses with a reading lens in one eye and distance in his other and noticed his vision becoming very blurry.  

He said: “I feel in very safe hands it is so professionally run here. When I was speaking to the surgeon he was saying about possibly having the tests and both eyes treated at the same time. And I thought ‘brilliant’, because I was worried about the fact that if I had only one eye treated, with my prescription levels, I would have trouble seeing while waiting for my second op.  So two eyes at same time means I do not have to worry about having two ops and two lots of everything, so yes, that’s great.”

And regarding the drop-free treatment, patient Maria Walmsey, 78, said: “I understand that previously drops were always administered to keep the eye free from bacteria. And it has all been explained to me that they do a steroid injection in the eye. So that is amazing. It saves about four weeks of drops and remembering to do them. It avoids all that inconvenience, so I couldn't be happier.”

While each individual element of this unique “treble” has its own published medical research and backing, Optegra wanted to push the boundaries and so this is the first time that all three have been combined in the UK.

Mr Stuart concluded: “The post-op checks in the week following the procedures were excellent.  No patients experienced any issues, and all eyes were settling well. The patients all gave positive feedback and were thrilled with the experience, which is very encouraging.”

Optegra has increased its cataract care vastly in recent years. Prior to Covid it performed 3,000 NHS cataract operations. Last year, over 50,000 treatments were delivered in the UK (and over 170,000 internationally) and due to demand has invested in brand new infrastructure to meet patient need. It has opened 11 dedicated NHS cataract clinics around the UK, bringing this life-changing surgery to more patients, and delivering treatment within just four weeks of referral.

This trial is now being reviewed with a view to rolling out drop free NHS cataract surgery across the group’s 17 NHS hospitals and clinics.