Dr Francisco J. Abellán
Cataract surgery in Madrid
Private consultation · Clara del Rey, 33 · Madrid
Understand cataracts and your options with our interactive diagrams. At an in-person assessment we can examine your eyes and explain which alternatives suit your case.
An assessment does not mean you need surgery. The practice secretary can tell you about availability, cost and insurance via WhatsApp.
What the first assessment includes
Ophthalmologist · Medical registration no. 282880215
Trained at Hospital Universitario de La Princesa
Answer your questions before the consultation
Understand what you notice, how the operation works and how lenses differ, at your own pace.
How do cataracts affect vision?
Compare the stages
What is the operation like?
Explore the 3D modelHow do lenses differ?
Compare lenses
Is what I have a cataract?
The lens loses its clarity: vision becomes blurred, with less contrast and more glare.
Interactive diagram
How do cataracts affect vision?
How to use it: Choose a situation and tap each stage, or keep scrolling, to see how it changes.
Look for the pedestrian beside the car: as the cataract progresses, headlights turn into halos that hide them.
Healthy eye. The lens is clear and light focuses on a single point on the retina.
Early cataract. The lens begins to yellow. Vision becomes slightly duller and light feels more bothersome head-on.
Moderate cataract. The clouding advances: colours lose vividness and reading or night driving becomes harder.
Mature cataract. The lens is very cloudy and the pupil may look whitish. Vision is severely limited.
Illustrative simulation: it does not predict any individual’s vision.
Worth knowing
These images are only a guide: other causes can also make vision difficult. An examination shows what is causing your difficulty and whether the cataract explains it.
Reading the letters is not always seeing well
A cataract spreads a veil that wipes out faint detail before small detail: that is why night driving becomes hard, especially with oncoming headlights, even when the letters in an eye test can still be read.
See the contrast demonstration →Finding it harder to read, drive at night or cope with glare?
At the assessment we examine your eyes to find out whether a cataract explains what you notice and what can be done.
Do I need cataract surgery?
We listen
Your symptoms and how they affect reading, driving or work.
We examine
Your vision and the health of the whole eye, not just the lens.
We decide together
Expected benefit, limitations and risks in your case.
Monitor
If the limitation is mild or surgery is not worthwhile yet.
Plan surgery
If the cataract explains the difficulty and the balance is favourable.
Do you also have glaucoma?
Some MIGS techniques can be placed in the same operation, through the cataract incision, and help to use fewer drops. Whether to combine them is decided at the assessment, depending on the type of glaucoma and the pressure.
Glaucoma and cataract in the same operationDo I need to wait for the cataract to “mature”?
Usually not. Daily visual impact, ocular health and the expected balance of benefits and risks guide timing.
What does cataract surgery involve?
The cloudy lens is removed and a new lens takes its place
Interactive diagram
What is the operation like, step by step?
How to use it: Tap “Cataract”, “The surgery” or “With the lens” to see each step, and drag the eye to rotate it.
Moderate cataract
The clouding advances: colours lose vividness and reading or night driving becomes harder.
Drag to rotate the model · tap a structure to identify it
- 01Where the cataract sits
Inside the eye, just behind the pupil
The natural lens is just behind the pupil.
- 02How it is removed
With ultrasound, through a small incision
Ultrasound fragments and removes the cloudy lens.
- 03What stays inside
A permanent lens in the same place
The calculated intraocular lens is placed in the lens capsule.
Worth knowing
The model shows the usual steps. How it would be done in your eye (anaesthesia, lens, timing) is decided after examining it. Note down anything you want to ask.
Illustrative 3D model for information purposes. It does not represent the outcome of any particular case, nor does it replace the assessment, diagnosis or individual instructions of your healthcare team.
View the 3D journey: the cataract, seen from the insideBring your questions to the consultation
At the assessment we explain how the operation would work in your case and answer your questions.
Does cataract surgery hurt?
The anaesthetic plan aims to keep you comfortable. Tell the team if you feel discomfort so they can assess it.
What anaesthesia is used?
It is chosen for your eye, health and the centre’s protocol. You will receive individual instructions.
Read the preoperative preparation guideHow long does the procedure take?
The operation is usually brief; the full stay also includes preparation and discharge checks.
Do I go home on the same day?
In most cases, you return home after the relevant checks. Follow the centre’s transport and accompaniment instructions.
Four stages, one coordinated pathway
Plan
Assessment, measurements and shared choice of lens and refractive target.
Prepare
The centre confirms the date and gives individual medication and fasting instructions.
Operate and discharge
The cloudy lens is removed and the planned lens implanted; discharge instructions are provided.
Review
Recovery, eye pressure and visual result are checked according to your schedule.
The exact plan depends on your eye, your health and the centre’s protocol.
Which lens will I get? Will I still need glasses?
The lens is chosen after the examination, not from a catalogue
Interactive diagram
How do lenses differ?
How to use it: Choose a lens and tap far, intermediate or near to compare how you might see.
Tap far, intermediate or near to zoom in, then switch option to compare.
Simulate vision with:
Monofocal Lens
Designed primarily for one focal range. Glasses are commonly needed for other distances.
Monofocal Lens: far, Clear; intermediate, Glasses; near, Glasses.
Toric. Corrects suitable corneal astigmatism when measurements support it.
Worth knowing
No lens is best for everyone. The choice depends on the examination and on what you need to see: reading, night driving, screens.
Criteria used to discuss the lens
- Cornea and astigmatism
- Retina, optic nerve and glaucoma
- Previous eye surgery
- Activities, night driving and glasses
Which option might suit you?
At the assessment we review your eyes and your visual needs to explain the alternatives.
Will I still need glasses?
You may still need glasses. This depends on your eye, the refractive target and the selected lens.
Compare intraocular lens typesHow is the intraocular lens chosen?
Measurements, ocular health, activities and visual priorities guide the shared choice.
Read the guide to intraocular lensesAn assessment to find out what suits you
At the consultation we examine your eyes, answer your questions and explain whether to monitor or to operate. An assessment does not mean you need surgery.
You will be seen by Dr Francisco J. Abellán, who carries out the assessment, the surgery and the follow-up.
WhatsApp opens with a message to the practice secretary already written: you only need to send it. It does not include anything you chose in the diagrams.
- What is checked
- Your symptoms, your prescription and the health of the whole eye, not just the lens.
- Where and when
- Clara del Rey Specialist Centre (Hospital Quirónsalud San José)
C. de Clara del Rey, 33, 28002 Madrid - Monday to Thursday, 4:00–8:00 pm
- Open in Google Maps (Opens in a new tab)
- Cost and insurance
- The practice secretary tells you the first-visit fee and whether your insurance covers it. Most health insurers cover both the surgery and the follow-up visits.
- See cost and cover
- Before you come
- The pupil may need to be dilated: come accompanied, do not drive afterwards and bring sunglasses. Contact lenses may need to be stopped a few days before.
- How to prepare for your appointmentMore details: the assessment and what to bring
The practice secretary manages information, insurers, administrative procedures and private appointments. This is not a medical-advice or emergency channel: do not send clinical reports, and use the emergency service or the channel indicated by your healthcare centre for urgent symptoms.
After the operation
When will my vision begin to improve?
Some people improve early; vision may remain blurred or fluctuate at first. Reviews assess your individual progress.
Read the postoperative care guideWhen can I drive or return to work?
It depends on your vision, work and recovery. Do not drive until your clinical team confirms it is appropriate.
Check the recovery and activity guidanceAre both eyes operated on the same day?
Not routinely. The interval depends on the assessment, centre protocol and discussion of individual benefits and risks.
What risks and warning signs should I know about?
Risks are explained before consent. Seek prompt assessment for severe pain, sudden vision loss, increasing redness, discharge or another warning sign given at discharge.
See postoperative warning signsHow much does it cost and will my insurance cover it?
Most health insurers cover both cataract surgery and the follow-up visits. And if you have no insurance, don’t worry: we carry out the study and give you a quote tailored to you.
The lens
Selected lens
Defined after the preoperative study.
Cover
With health insurance
Most insurers cover both the surgery and the follow-up visits. The secretary checks your policy before scheduling.
- or
No medical insurance
Don’t worry. If you want to have your cataracts operated on, we carry out the study and then give you a clear quote tailored to you.
The budget
Final budget
With insurance, according to your policy. Without insurance, a tailored quote after the study.
How much does surgery cost and what might my insurer cover?
Most health insurers cover both cataract surgery and the follow-up visits; the secretary checks your policy before scheduling. If you have no insurance and want to have surgery, we carry out the study and you then receive a tailored quote, which depends on the lens and the centre.
Private consultation at Centro de Especialidades Clara del Rey, Hospital Quirónsalud San José.
Check my insurance or request a quoteWhy consult Dr Abellán?
An honest indication. A cataract does not automatically mean surgery.
A lens chosen after the study. The lens is discussed after examining your eye and priorities.
Clinical training and experience. Training at La Princesa, with public and private clinical practice.
Continuity of care. You will know who is responsible for each stage before scheduling.
Reviews on Google
To keep reviews verifiable and up to date, patient reviews are viewed and published exclusively on the official Google profile.
Frequently asked questions about cataract surgery
Each question links to its answer on this page.
- Does cataract surgery hurt?
- What anaesthesia is used?
- How long does the procedure take?
- Do I go home on the same day?
- When will my vision begin to improve?
- When can I drive or return to work?
- Are both eyes operated on the same day?
- Will I still need glasses?
- How is the intraocular lens chosen?
- How much does surgery cost and what might my insurer cover?
- Do I need to wait for the cataract to “mature”?
- What risks and warning signs should I know about?
Authorship, medical review and sources
- Author and medical reviewer
- Dr. Francisco Javier Abellán Martínez
- Ophthalmologist · Medical registration no. 282880215
- The same specialist currently authors and medically reviews the content; this is not presented as an independent external review.
- Last medically reviewed
Sources consulted (4)
- ESCRS recommendations for cataract surgery (Opens in a new tab)European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS)
- Cataracts in adults: management (NG77) (Opens in a new tab)National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
- Cataract surgery: procedure and recovery (Opens in a new tab)National Health Service (NHS)
- Patient information booklets (Opens in a new tab)The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
General educational content. It does not replace an individual assessment, diagnosis or personalised instructions from your healthcare team.
How these guides are written and reviewed