Cataracts
Clouding of the lens inside the eye that makes sight dim, hazy or dazzled by lights. We assess whether surgery is worth it for you now.
first visit$240
Specialist eye care, from referral letter to recovery
Kestrel Eye Clinic is a team of ophthalmologists, doctors who specialise in eyes, assessing cataracts, glaucoma, macular conditions and other vision problems. We explain every test and option in plain words, write to your optometrist and doctor, and carry out cataract surgery when it is the right choice for you.
2 to 3 hoursfirst visit, tests included
Same dayletter to your optometrist or doctor
No drivingafter dilating drops
Sudden loss or blurring of vision, a curtain across your sight, a burst of new flashes or floaters, or a painful red eye need urgent care today. Skip the booking form: phone the clinic, or call your local emergency number.
Phone Kestrel nowConditions we assess and treat
Every first visit is with a consultant ophthalmologist. Prices are for that first consultation, including the tests needed on the day.
Glaucoma
Raised pressure or damage to the optic nerve that can slowly narrow the field of vision. Tests track it over time, and drops, laser or surgery may be offered.
first visit$240
Macular conditions
Changes at the centre of the retina, such as age related macular degeneration, looked at closely with a detailed scan called OCT.
first visit$260
Diabetic eye changes
Follow up when screening has found changes in the retina linked to diabetes, working alongside the care from your own doctor.
first visit$240
Dry and sore eyes
Lasting grittiness, watering or burning, with a look at the eyelids and tear film and a plan you can follow at home.
first visit$180
Eyelid problems
Lumps, drooping lids and lashes that turn inwards, assessed for minor surgery where it is likely to be worthwhile.
first visit$200
Kestrel does not offer routine sight tests for glasses; an optometrist is the right place for those. Most patients come with a referral letter, and in some countries insurers or public schemes will only contribute when there is one.
From referral letter to a plan you understand
Most patients are seen within three weeks of the referral reaching us, and sooner when the doctor reading it decides it cannot wait.
Referral arrives
From your optometrist or doctor, or from you directly if you have no letter. A referral tells us what has already been found.
A doctor reads it
An ophthalmologist reads every referral within two working days and decides how soon you need to be seen.
Tests and consultation
Vision, eye pressure and scans, usually with drops to widen the pupils, then time with the consultant to go through the results.
A written plan
You leave with the plan in plain words, and a letter goes to your optometrist and doctor the same day.
Why a first visit takes most of a morning
Most first visits involve drops that widen the pupils so the back of the eye can be seen clearly. They take about twenty minutes to work and leave sight blurred and sensitive to light for four to six hours, so please do not drive yourself home.
While the drops work, a technician photographs the retina and takes a scan called OCT, which shows the layers at the back of the eye in fine detail. Neither test touches the eye, and both are explained before they begin.
- Bring your glasses and a list of your medicines
- Sunglasses help on the way home
- Someone to drive you, or a plan for public transport
- Allow two to three hours in total
Cataract surgery, set out plainly
If surgery is recommended and you choose it, this is the usual path. Your surgeon explains the risks for your own eyes in writing before you decide.
| Stage | What happens | Usually |
|---|---|---|
| Pre assessment | Measurements of the eye to choose the strength of the new lens, and a check of your general health | About 90 minutes, a few weeks before |
| Surgery day | Numbing drops, the cloudy lens replaced through a tiny opening, and home the same day with a shield | 20 to 30 minutes in theatre |
| First weeks | Eye drops several times a day, the shield at night, no swimming and no eye makeup | About four weeks of drops |
| Review | A check of healing, then a new glasses test with your optometrist | Two to six weeks after |
No operation can promise a perfect result, and the surgeon talks through the risks, including the uncommon ones, before you sign anything. Most people have one eye done at a time, with the second, if needed, a few weeks later.
Around Kestrel
Examination rooms with dimmable lights, an imaging room for scans and a quiet bay for the hour after surgery.
Consultation and surgery fees
Fees cover the tests needed on the day. Any further treatment is quoted in writing before it is booked.
New patient consultation
fixed fee$240
- Seen by a consultant ophthalmologist
- Results explained the same day
- Letter to your optometrist and doctor
Glaucoma monitoring
per visit$160
- Eye pressure and visual field test
- Nerve scan compared with the last one
- Treatment reviewed and adjusted
Cataract surgery, one eye
from$3,200
- Pre assessment and lens measurement
- Surgery, drops and eye shield
- Review visit included
Insurance, public schemes and referral rules differ between countries and between plans, so check what applies before your visit. Consultations are paid on the day; surgery is paid in two parts, at booking and on the day of the operation.
Request a planned appointment
Use this form for planned appointments only. Say who referred you, which eye is affected and what has changed, and a member of the team replies within two working days with a date.
If your vision changes suddenly, this form is the wrong route. Phone the clinic straight away, or call your local emergency number.
- Referral letter welcome but not essential
- Plan for drops and someone to drive you
- Fees paid on the day of the visit
Patients, a few months on (example reviews)
The scans were put up on a big screen and every layer was explained. Surgery was quicker than expected, and the drops chart on the fridge made the following weeks simple to keep track of.
Glaucoma sounded frightening until the consultant set the nerve scans side by side and showed why the drops matter. Visits every six months now feel routine.
Came without a referral and was still seen within the fortnight. The warning about not driving after the drops saved a lot of trouble.
Before a visit to the ophthalmologist
How is an ophthalmologist different from an optometrist?
An optometrist examines eyes, measures prescriptions and spots problems. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specialises in eyes, diagnoses and treats eye disease and performs surgery. Exact titles and roles vary between countries.
Can patients come without a referral letter?
Yes, a request can be sent without one. Many insurers and public schemes do want a referral before they pay, and the rules depend on your country and plan.
When is cataract surgery worth having?
When cloudy sight gets in the way of things that matter to you, such as reading, driving or recognising faces. There is rarely a rush, and the consultant explains the likely benefit and the risks for your eyes before you decide.
Does glaucoma treatment bring back lost sight?
No. Treatment aims to slow or stop further damage, so regular checks and using drops as prescribed matter even when nothing seems wrong.
Do the dilating drops sting?
Most people feel a brief sting for a few seconds. The blurring lasts longer, usually four to six hours, which is why driving afterwards is not safe.
Is sudden blurred vision a reason to wait for an appointment?
No. Sudden loss or blurring of vision, a curtain or shadow across your sight, new flashes or floaters, or a painful red eye need urgent care the same day. Phone the clinic during opening hours, and at other times go to an emergency eye service or ring your local emergency number.
Getting to Kestrel
Drivers collecting patients after drops can wait in the bays by the entrance, and the waiting room keeps its lights low for dilated eyes.
Phone and email
Ground floor of a day surgery centre on the edge of town, with drop off bays at the entrance
Clinic hours
| Monday to Thursday | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 to 16:00 |
| Saturday | Surgery lists only |
| Sunday | Closed |
After an operation
In the first weeks after surgery, call the clinic number during opening hours to speak to a nurse. Outside those hours, the number on your discharge letter reaches the eye doctor on call.