Ophthalmology in Aberdeen

An estimated 400,000 people in the UK require cataract surgery every year – according to the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.

The condition can affect a person’s quality of life or their ability to perform certain tasks, such as driving.

A cataract is where the lens of the eye becomes cloudy. Affecting one or both eyes, the condition is usually associated with the aging process, with most people developing cataracts after the age of 65.

Symptoms include ‘misty’ or ‘cloudy’ vision, sensitivity to light, including bright sunlight or car headlamps, and everything looking more ‘washed out’ than it should be.

Cataract surgery can improve or eradicate symptoms in most patients – and Albyn Hospital has excellent facilities for this hugely successful procedure of cataract surgery.

Your surgeon at Albyn Hospital will usually break the cataract into small pieces using ultrasound (sound waves), before removing it from your eye through a small key-hole incision. They will then insert the new acrylic lens implant behind the iris in the same bag (or capsule) that held the natural lens in place. This can either be performed under a local anaesthetic or a general anaesthetic as a day-case procedure.

Our Consultant Ophthalmologists deal with complex cataract procedures, including the use of specialist toric and multifocal lens implants. Toric implants correct pre-existing astigmatism and improve quality of vision significantly.

Consultants at Albyn Hospital assess and treat what is a common problem – dry eyes. All forms of corneal transplants, including the latest endothelial transplants, are offered. Albyn Hospital is one of first to offer the cutting-edge endothelial transplants in Scotland and is the only private hospital north of Edinburgh to offer this procedure. Corneal transplants replace the cloudy front layer of the eye to restore eyesight.

Keratoconus is a common progressive thinning disorder of the cornea and can lead to severe sight impairment. Collagen Crosslinking is a very well-established treatment to reduce or stop the progression and is highly effective in preventing sight loss and improving the quality of vision in patients with Keratoconus. Assessment of Keratoconus and the Collagen Crosslinking procedure is available at Albyn Hospital. It is offered as a day-case procedure.

A full range of assessments for children’s eye problems are available, including assessment of squint and lazy eyes. If children need a surgical procedure, this can be arranged in the children’s hospital in Aberdeen.

Albyn Hospital has facilities for the assessment and treatment of most lid disorders, such as cysts, malformations, in-turning lids and droopy eyelids.

Problems associated with watery eyes are also assessed, with treatments, such as endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy, available.

What is Glaucoma

The nerve of sight (optic nerve) is a part of the nervous system which originates from the eyeball and connects it to the brain. The natural drainage of the internal fluid (aqueous humour) of the eye may occasionally be impeded which then builds up and causes elevated eye pressure leading to damage of the optic nerve over time. This may lead to loss of peripheral vision which sadly often goes unnoticed in the early stages. If left untreated, the deterioration in vision gets steadily worse, with tunnel vision and eventual blindness in the most extreme cases. For example, cars approaching from the side while driving or children in a park suddenly appearing from the corner of vision may go unnoticed.

Sudipto Bhatta,Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Albyn Hospital says "Early diagnosis is the key to treat glaucoma successfully. My simple recommendation is to attend one’s own optician for regular yearly sight tests after the age of 45 years.The optician can spot elevated eye pressure and refer patients to the consultant in the hospital were more specialised tests are carried out including a thorough clinical examination to confirm the diagnosis"

What treatments are available to treat Glaucoma

Albyn Hospital is proud to offer a fully functioning YAG and SLT laser.

The laser allows treatments, such as capsulotomy, for thickening of the capsule after cataract surgery, several glaucoma treatments, such as iridotomy for angle closure and selective laser trabeculoplasty.

Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery is now available at Albyn Hospital– one of the first hospitals across the North East of Scotland to offer this treatment. The procedure involves the use of a tiny (0.36mm) titanium implant, known as the iStent inject®. The smallest medical device known to be implanted in the human body, the iStent inject® is designed to bypass the resistance and facilitate the eye’s natural outflow of ‘aqueous humour’, reducing intraocular pressure.

For patients with certain types of glaucoma, which relates to approximately 70 to 90% of patients, the device has been shown in studies to be effective when implanted in combination with cataract surgery. It is also effective as a stand-alone procedure in those patients who require intraocular pressure reduction and/or would benefit from glaucoma medication reduction.

Invasive glaucoma surgery is used for patients who have worsening glaucoma, despite eye drops.

The consultant team offers consultations and treatments for retina disorders, such as diabetic retinopathy and occlusion of retinal blood vessels. Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a common condition and is one of the leading causes of blindness.

The team at Albyn Hospital are equipped to assess and treat AMD with the use of anti-VEGF injections.

When you visit Albyn Hospital, our Consultant Ophthalmologist will take a full medical history, before asking you about the symptoms you are experiencing and the effect this is having on your day-to-day life.

Patients attending a consultation for cataracts, an IOL Biometry Scan is required to be performed at your initial consultation (this test is not included in the consultation fee)

During the consultation, treatment options will be discussed, and you will have time to ask questions and plan the most appropriate way forward.

• Expert assessment from an experienced consultant. You will see the same Consultant will be seen by the same consultant throughout the entirety of their treatment journey.
• A multidisciplinary clinic. Your consultant is supported by a number of other healthcare professionals. This multidisciplinary team approach ensures you will receive support and treatment from the most appropriate specialist throughout your time with us.
• Access to various state-of-the-art ophthalmic diagnostic equipment if required.
• Treatment plans tailored to meet your individual health needs.
• Fixed-price surgery packages.
• You can book an initial consultation online with most of our consultants.
• *97.0% of patients said their overall experience of our service was good or very good.

^{*During the period of January to December 2023 Albyn Hospital received 2,170 completed Inpatient/Day Case patient surveys.}

If you would like to make an appointment with our Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon here at Albyn Hospital, simply call our friendly team on 01224 595993.

You can also book an initial ophthalmology appointment by using our handy online booking system.

Please bring with you to the consultation:

• Your glasses (if you have)
• Your glasses prescription (if you have)
• A list of medications, including any eye medications. 
• Your pupils will likely be dilated at the consultation, and you will not be able to drive immediately afterwards, therefore please make alternative travel arrangements.
• Your appointment can last about 1 to 1.5 hours (irrespective of the length of the consultation slot)