When clinics advertise “5-minute” or “4-minute” cataract surgery, the time usually refers to the intraocular phase — the period when surgical instruments are inside the eye. It does not include pre-operative assessment, pupil dilation, anaesthesia, safety checks, or post-operative recovery.
The intraocular phase is the period most directly associated with endothelial stress, ultrasound energy exposure, and fluid turbulence. When shortened appropriately, it can reduce biological insult to the eye. Crucially, this reduction must be achieved through preparation, standardised steps, and appropriate case selection — not by omitting safety steps.
Efficiency is therefore a system outcome, not a personality trait. Accurate biometry, optimised ocular surface, appropriate intraocular lens selection, and a rehearsed surgical team all contribute to safely shortening intraocular time.
What this means for you
- Minutes matter only when paired with outcomes and safety
- Ask for audited outcome data, not just operative time
Question to ask
- “Does the quoted time refer to intraocular time or total theatre time, and what are your complication and visual outcome rates?”
References
- Johnston RL, Taylor H, Smith R, et al. The Cataract National Dataset electronic multicentre audit of 55,567 operations: risk stratification for posterior capsule rupture and vitreous loss. Eye (London). 2009;23(1):31–37.
- Trikha S, Turnbull AMJ, Morris RJ, Anderson DF. The journey to high efficiency cataract surgery: time, outcomes and quality. Survey of Ophthalmology. 2014;59(3):343–356.
