Quick answer: Cataract surgery removes the cloudy natural lens of the eye and replaces it with a clear artificial lens implant (IOL). I perform it with phacoemulsification on the Alcon Centurion, usually in about 10–15 minutes, as a day procedure at the main Sayyad Eye Center branch in Mohandeseen, Cairo. Most patients see more clearly within days, and the lens implant is chosen to suit each patient’s eyes and lifestyle.
Key Takeaways
- Cataract surgery is the only effective treatment for a cataract. No drops or tablets can remove it.
- You do not need to wait for a cataract to “ripen”. Surgery is considered when it affects your daily life.
- The operation itself usually takes about 10–15 minutes, and you go home the same day.
- The lens implant can be monofocal, toric, EDOF or trifocal, depending on your eyes and goals.
- Most patients see noticeably better within days; final glasses, if needed, are usually prescribed after about a month.
What Is Cataract Surgery and Lens Implantation?
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which sits behind the coloured part of the eye. As it becomes cloudy, vision becomes blurred, colours look faded and lights cause glare, especially at night.
In cataract surgery, I remove the cloudy lens through a small incision using phacoemulsification, which uses ultrasound energy to break the lens into tiny pieces. I then place a foldable lens implant (intraocular lens, or IOL) inside the natural lens capsule, where it stays permanently. The incision usually seals on its own without stitches. Read about phaco cataract surgery step by step.
When Should You Have Cataract Surgery?
The old advice to wait until a cataract is “ripe” no longer applies. With modern phaco surgery, I recommend surgery when the cataract starts to affect your life: reading, driving, especially at night, working or recognising faces. Waiting too long can make the cataract harder and the surgery more demanding. Read when cataract surgery is needed and about the causes and symptoms of cataracts.
How Do I Plan Your Surgery?
Careful examination and measurement are what make a good result. Before surgery, I check the whole eye and measure it precisely:
- A careful slit-lamp examination of the cornea and the front of the eye. I make sure the cornea is clear, the corneal endothelium (the inner cell layer that keeps the cornea clear) is healthy, and the ocular surface is healthy. Dry eye or eyelid inflammation is treated first, because it can affect the measurements and the final result. When the endothelium may be weak, I measure it with specular microscopy.
- ZEISS IOLMaster 700 biometry to calculate the power of your lens implant
- Corneal tomography (CSO MS-39 in Mohandeseen, Pentacam in New Cairo) to check corneal shape and astigmatism
- OCT of the retina when needed, especially for patients with diabetes or those choosing a premium lens
- A full examination of the retina, eye pressure and the front of the eye
If you wear contact lenses, stop them before the measurements so the cornea returns to its natural shape: soft lenses for at least one week, soft toric lenses for at least two weeks, and rigid lenses for at least one month.
Which Lens Implant Is Right for You?
All the lens implants I use are from established American and European manufacturers, such as Alcon, Johnson & Johnson (Tecnis), Bausch + Lomb, BVI, SIFI and Cristalens.
| Lens type | What it does | Who it may suit |
|---|---|---|
| Monofocal | Clear vision at one distance, usually far; reading glasses needed | Most patients; eyes with other conditions such as macular disease or glaucoma |
| Enhanced monofocal | Distance vision with a little more intermediate range | Patients who want good distance and some computer or dashboard vision |
| EDOF (extended depth of focus) | Distance and intermediate; fine print may need glasses | Active patients who want fewer glasses with fewer night halos than trifocal |
| Trifocal | Distance, intermediate and near | Carefully selected, healthy eyes wanting the most freedom from glasses |
| Toric (any of the above) | Also corrects regular corneal astigmatism | Patients with significant astigmatism |
A more expensive lens is not automatically a better lens for you. A healthy cornea and ocular surface matter even more with toric, EDOF and trifocal lenses, because small surface problems have a bigger effect on their results. I choose the lens with you based on your measurements, your eye health and how you use your eyes. Read how to choose a cataract lens.
“When patients ask me which lens is the best, I answer with a question: what do you want to do without glasses? The right lens is the one that fits your eyes and your daily life, not the most advanced one on the shelf.” — Dr. Fouad El Sayyad
What Type of Anaesthesia Is Used?
- Local block (peribulbar): an injection around the eye that keeps it completely numb and still. Many of my patients prefer it: they feel nothing, and sometimes do not even see the light.
- Topical: numbing drops, sometimes with extra anaesthetic placed inside the eye during surgery. More patients are choosing this; you are more aware of what is happening, but it is not painful.
- Mild sedation: for anxious patients, a light sedative can be given through a small cannula in the hand.
Read more about anaesthesia for cataract surgery.
What Happens on the Day of Surgery?
Plan to spend about one to two hours at the centre. Drops are used to widen the pupil, the eye area is cleaned, and the anaesthetic is given. The operation itself usually takes about 10–15 minutes. You may see lights and movement, and feel light pressure, but not the instruments. A protective shield is placed over the eye, and you go home the same day with a companion. I perform cataract surgery at our main branch in Mohandeseen, with the Alcon Centurion phaco system under ZEISS surgical microscopes. Consultations and follow-up are available at both branches.
Is Cataract Surgery Done With a Laser?
Many patients ask me how I will do their cataract surgery “with the laser”. Most modern cataract surgery is done with phacoemulsification, which uses high-frequency ultrasound energy, not a laser, to break up and remove the cloudy lens. Because it is so precise and quick, it is often confused with laser surgery.
Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery does exist, but I do not use it routinely. The laser does not remove the cataract by itself: you still need an incision and phacoemulsification to remove the lens and place the implant. The laser only replaces a few steps of the operation. It adds time to the surgery and, for most patients, it does not add a real benefit. A large randomised trial published in The Lancet (FEMCAT, 2020) found it was not superior to standard phaco surgery and cost more. It can be arranged at another centre for patients who specifically request it.
What Is Recovery Like?
Most patients notice clearer, brighter vision within the first few days. Vision continues to settle over the following weeks. In brief:
- Drops: an antibiotic for one week, a steroid for about four weeks with a gradual taper, and lubricating drops for one to three months.
- Eye shield: while sleeping for the first five nights.
- Prayer and sujood: allowed from the second day.
- Water and soap: keep them out of the eye for one week; you can shower from the second day.
- Screens, reading and TV: fine from the first day.
- Avoid: rubbing the eye, lifting more than 10 kg in the first week, eye makeup and swimming for two weeks.
Read the full instructions after cataract surgery and the recovery timeline.
When Is the Second Eye Done?
I do not operate on both eyes on the same day. The second eye is usually done within a few days to a week, once the first eye is settling well.
Will I Need Glasses After Cataract Surgery?
It depends on the lens you choose. With a monofocal lens set for distance, most patients need reading glasses. EDOF and trifocal lenses reduce the need for glasses but cannot guarantee freedom from them. If glasses are needed, I usually prescribe them after about a month, once vision has stabilised. Read when vision stabilises after cataract surgery.
What Are the Risks?
Cataract surgery is one of the most common and successful operations in medicine, but no surgery is risk-free. Possible problems include inflammation, a rise in eye pressure, swelling at the back of the eye (macular oedema), infection and, rarely, retinal detachment. Months or years later, the capsule behind the lens implant can become cloudy (posterior capsule opacification); this is not the cataract coming back and is treated with a quick YAG laser. Read about cataract surgery complications.
How Much Does Cataract Surgery Cost?
See the cataract surgery cost guide.
What Patients Say (Google Reviews)
I had cataract surgery with the new Vivity lenses, and honestly, it feels like I got my life back. My vision is so much better now, and I’m really enjoying seeing clearly again.
Google review · Sayyad Eye Center, Mohandeseen · January 2026
Dr. Fouad El Sayyad is very skilled and kind, and he explains every step to the patient and the family. After the operation he came out twice to check on the patient, and what struck me most was the follow-up: two calls to make sure all was well and to confirm the drop schedule.
Google review · Sayyad Eye Center, Mohandeseen · August 2026 · translated from Arabic
Where Does Dr. Fouad El Sayyad See Patients?
- Sayyad Eye Center, Mohandeseen (main branch, where cataract surgery is performed): 3A Gameat El Dowal El Arabeya St., Sphinx Square.
- Sayyad Eye Center, New Cairo: Medical Park 2, opposite New Cairo Court.
To book an appointment with Dr. Fouad El Sayyad, call or WhatsApp 01000088168.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a lens always implanted after cataract removal?
Yes. In modern cataract surgery, a lens implant is placed in almost every eye, because the natural lens provides much of the eye’s focusing power. The implant stays in place permanently and does not need to be changed.
How long does cataract surgery take?
The operation itself usually takes about 10–15 minutes. With preparation and a short rest afterwards, plan to spend about one to two hours at the centre.
Is cataract surgery painful?
No. The eye is numbed with drops or a local block, and mild sedation can be given if you are anxious. You may feel light pressure. Afterwards, mild grittiness for a day or two is common.
When will my vision improve?
Most patients see clearer, brighter vision within the first few days. Vision keeps settling over the following weeks and is usually stable by about a month.
Will I need glasses after the operation?
With a monofocal lens, most people need reading glasses. EDOF and trifocal lenses reduce the need for glasses. If glasses are needed, they are usually prescribed after about a month.
Can a cataract come back after surgery?
No. The cloudy lens is removed and cannot grow back. Sometimes the capsule behind the implant becomes cloudy months or years later, which is treated with a quick YAG laser.
What is the difference between EDOF and trifocal lenses?
EDOF lenses give good distance and intermediate vision, with fewer night halos, but fine print may need glasses. Trifocal lenses add near vision but are more likely to cause halos at night and suit carefully selected eyes.
Are both eyes done on the same day?
No. I operate on one eye at a time. The second eye is usually done within a few days to a week.
This article is for general education and does not replace an eye examination. Treatment decisions depend on your own eye assessment.
References
- Miller KM, Oetting TA, Tweeten JP, et al. Cataract in the Adult Eye Preferred Practice Pattern. Ophthalmology. 2022;129(1):P1–P126.
- Schweitzer C, Brezin A, Cochener B, et al. Femtosecond laser-assisted versus phacoemulsification cataract surgery (FEMCAT): a multicentre randomised trial. Lancet. 2020;395(10219):212–224.
- National Eye Institute — Cataracts (updated 2023)
This article is for general education and does not replace an eye examination. Treatment decisions depend on your own eye assessment.
FAQS
-
Is a lens always implanted after cataract removal?
Yes. In modern cataract surgery, a lens implant is placed in almost every eye, because the natural lens provides much of the eye’s focusing power. The implant stays in place permanently and does not need to be changed.
-
How long does cataract surgery take?
The operation itself usually takes about 10–15 minutes. With preparation and a short rest afterwards, plan to spend about one to two hours at the centre.
-
Is cataract surgery painful?
No. The eye is numbed with drops or a local block, and mild sedation can be given if you are anxious. You may feel light pressure. Afterwards, mild grittiness for a day or two is common.
-
When will my vision improve?
Most patients see clearer, brighter vision within the first few days. Vision keeps settling over the following weeks and is usually stable by about a month.
-
Will I need glasses after the operation?
With a monofocal lens, most people need reading glasses. EDOF and trifocal lenses reduce the need for glasses. If glasses are needed, they are usually prescribed after about a month.
-
Can a cataract come back after surgery?
No. The cloudy lens is removed and cannot grow back. Sometimes the capsule behind the implant becomes cloudy months or years later, which is treated with a quick YAG laser.
-
What is the difference between EDOF and trifocal lenses?
EDOF lenses give good distance and intermediate vision, with fewer night halos, but fine print may need glasses. Trifocal lenses add near vision but are more likely to cause halos at night and suit carefully selected eyes.
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