Cataract Surgery in Turkey: Phaco and Lens Implants in Istanbul

A cataract is a clouding of the lens inside your eye, the small clear disc behind the coloured iris that focuses light onto the retina. As the proteins in the lens break down, the lens turns hazy, yellowish or brownish, and things look blurred, dim or washed out. Cataracts in the eyes are extremely common with age: according to the US National Eye Institute (NEI), by age 80 most people either have cataracts or have already had cataract surgery. Worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated in February 2026 that 94 million people have impaired vision or blindness because of a cataract that has not been treated.

Cataracts usually develop slowly, often in both eyes but not always at the same pace. The NHS lists the typical symptoms:

• blurred or cloudy vision, and difficulty reading or watching television;
• difficulty seeing at night, with glare and glowing rings (halos) around lights;
• discomfort in bright light, and double vision in one eye;
• colours that look faded, especially blue;
• a glasses prescription that needs changing more often than usual.

You are more likely to develop a cataract if you are over 60, are a woman, smoke, have diabetes or high blood pressure, are very short-sighted, have had an eye injury, eye surgery or uveitis, have taken steroid medicines for a long time, or have spent years in strong sunlight without eye protection (NHS).

Surgery is the only treatment that removes a cataract. The NHS and the NEI both say this plainly. In the early stages, stronger glasses and brighter light for reading can help for a while, and the NHS notes that cataracts do not usually need treating straight away. Over time, though, a cataract gets worse, and without treatment it eventually causes sight loss. Cataract surgery is one of the most common operations in the world (AAO), and the WHO describes it as one of the most cost-effective of all health-care interventions. According to the NEI, 9 out of 10 people who have it see better afterwards.

Waits vary widely between hospitals. At the end of July 2026, 620,931 people in England were waiting to start NHS eye (ophthalmology) treatment, according to NHS England's referral-to-treatment statistics, and only 72.9% of them had been waiting less than 18 weeks, against an NHS standard of 92%. These figures cover all NHS eye treatment, of which cataract surgery is the largest part: the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) audit counted about 681,400 publicly funded cataract operations in England in one year (April 2023 to March 2024). Ask your GP, optometrist or hospital how long your own wait is likely to be before you decide to travel; if your local wait is short and a standard lens suits you, NHS surgery may well be the right choice.

The NHS also uses a standard monofocal lens, and NICE advises the NHS not to offer multifocal lenses for cataract surgery. If you want a multifocal or trifocal lens in the UK, you usually pay for the whole operation privately.

Often yes, as long as you still meet the legal eyesight standard for driving. In the UK, that means reading a number plate from 20 metres and having a visual acuity of at least 6/12 with both eyes open (glasses allowed), according to GOV.UK. The DVLA's medical guidance says drivers with cataracts are often safe to drive and may not need to tell the DVLA, but warns that glare can stop you passing the number plate test even when the letters on a chart look fine. If you no longer meet the standard, you must stop driving and tell the DVLA. After surgery, the NHS advises not to drive until your vision is back to normal; your surgeon tells you when you meet the standard again. Other countries have their own driving rules, so check with your local licensing authority.

Most cataracts are straightforward to remove, but some eyes need a surgeon with specific experience, and we match your case to the right one of our three surgeons:

• Corneal disease or keratoconus: an irregular cornea makes lens calculations harder and may change the lens choice. Doç. Dr. Özer, our cornea specialist, plans these cases. Keratoconus treatment in Turkey →
• Glaucoma: cataract and glaucoma often occur together, and in some patients both can be treated in a planned way. Glaucoma treatment & surgery in Turkey →
• Diabetic eye disease, macular problems or past retinal detachment: the retina is examined carefully before surgery, as these conditions affect the result you can expect. Retina surgery: vitrectomy & retinal detachment →
• Uveitis (eye inflammation): inflammation needs careful control around the time of surgery, with closer follow-up afterwards; Doç. Dr. Özer manages these cases.
• High short-sightedness: NICE asks surgeons to discuss the higher risk of retinal detachment after cataract surgery with very short-sighted patients. If you are young, highly short-sighted and have no cataract, an implantable contact lens that leaves your own lens in place may suit you better. ICL / EVO ICL implantable lens →

Phacoemulsification ("phaco") is the standard way of removing a cataract today. Introduced by Dr Charles Kelman in 1967, it has been used for about 97% of cataract operations in the US since 2000. The NHS describes the steps:

1. Drops widen (dilate) your pupil, and your eye is numbed.
2. Your surgeon makes a tiny opening in the front of the eye (the cornea) and an opening in the thin, clear bag (capsule) that holds your lens.
3. A fine probe uses ultrasound to break the cloudy lens into small pieces, which are gently suctioned out.
4. A clear artificial lens (intraocular lens, IOL) is placed inside the capsule, which holds it in place permanently.
5. The opening usually seals by itself, without stitches.

You are awake but should feel no pain. You may see light, shade and movement, but not the details of the operation. When people search for "cataract operation phaco" or "phacoemulsification for cataracts", this is the operation they mean: it is the method our surgeons use for cataract surgery in Istanbul.

In femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery, the eye is first mapped and a computer-guided laser makes some of the openings with a programmed position and depth; the surgeon then removes the lens with the phaco probe as usual. It sounds more advanced, but the evidence does not show it is better. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) wrote in June 2026 that studies have found neither fewer complications nor better outcomes with laser surgery, and that the result depends largely on the skill and experience of your surgeon. NICE recommends that the NHS uses it only within clinical trials. {{FLACS availability: if the surgeons offer it, add one sentence here on when they recommend it; if not, delete this placeholder.}}

Sources: NHS; AAO, "Traditional vs. laser-assisted cataract surgery" (15 June 2026); NICE NG77. Your surgeon confirms the technique for your eye after your examination.

The lens you choose has the biggest effect on whether you need glasses after cataract surgery. If you are unsure, our lens finder quiz gives you a first idea before you speak to a surgeon. Which lens is right for me? (lens finder quiz) →

Lens descriptions: AAO, "IOL implants: lens replacement after cataracts" (June 2026). Side effects: Cochrane review of 20 trials with 2,230 people (de Silva et al., 2016). Your surgeon recommends a lens only after measuring your eyes. Lens brands and models we use: {{lens brands and models offered}}.

What the evidence says about premium lenses: a Cochrane review of 20 randomised trials found that people given multifocal lenses were less likely to need glasses than people given monofocal lenses, but more likely to notice glare and halos. The reviewers concluded that whether the benefit outweighs the side effects varies from person to person, and that how much you want to be free of glasses is likely to be the deciding factor. That is why your surgeon asks about your work, hobbies and night driving before recommending a lens. If you have another eye condition, such as macular disease, glaucoma or an irregular cornea, your surgeon may advise a different lens type.