Referral

Back
Policies Toggle Pages
Abdominal hernia in adults Adult Snoring Surgery (in the absence of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea) Arthroscopic shoulder decompression for subacromial shoulder pain Arthroscopic surgery for meniscal tears Artificial urinary sphincters for post-prostatectomy incontinence Assisted Conception Benign Skin and Subcutaneous Lesions Commissioning Policy Blepharoplasty (upper and lower lid) including brow lift Botulinum Toxin A for the management of focal hyperhidrosis commissioning policy Breast implants - removal and replacement Breast reduction surgery Carpal tunnel syndrome (surgery) Cataract Surgery Chronic rhinosinusitis with or without polyps Circumcision Cosmetic Treatments Cryopreservation to Preserve Fertility Dilatation and curettage for heavy menstrual bleeding in women Dupuytren's contracture treatment Ear Wax Removal Femoro–Acetabular Impingement, open or arthroscopic surgery Fusion surgery for non-specific, mechanical back pain Haemorrhoids in adults Hallux Valgus (Bunion) - Commissioned pathway Heavy Menstrual Bleeding - Referral for Surgical Management Hip and knee replacement surgery in obese patients (those with a body mass index of 30 or greater) Individual Funding Requests (IFRs) Injections for non-specific low back pain without sciatica Knee arthroscopy for patients with osteoarthritis Lumbar spine procedures for simple lumbar back pain Meibomian cysts (chalazia) Myringotomy/grommets and adjuvant adenoidectomy for the management of otitis media in children under 12 years Myringotomy with and without grommets in adults and children aged 12 years+ Open Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanning Radiofrequency Denervation Reversal of male and female sterilisation Spinal injections for sciatica Surgery for ganglion cyst Surgical procedures for the treatment of LUTS caused by BPH Tonsillectomy Trigger finger release in adults Varicose vein referral
Print this page
Contact us about this page

Cataract Surgery

This is a summary of the NHS Devon commissioning policy for the cataract surgery.

Cataract Surgery commissioning policy

Patient information

Toggle all

Referral Criteria

This policy applies to cataract surgery in adults.

Before a referral is made, the referrer must confirm that:

  • The patient understands that the purpose of referral is for assessment for surgery
  • The patient wishes to have surgery if it is offered
  • The patient meets the criteria for cataract surgery

Cataract surgery will be routinely commissioned only in the following circumstances:

There is sufficient cataract in the eye proposed for surgery to account for the patient's visual symptoms and one or more of the following criteria apply:

  • Best corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or worse in the affected eye AND the patient experiences one or more of the following due to subjective loss of visual performance:
    • Difficulty in accomplishing everyday tasks.
    • Reduced mobility, visual problems when driving or experiencing difficulty with steps or uneven ground.
    • Ability to work, act as a carer or live independently is affected.
  • Patients who experience disabling problems with glare and a reduction in acuity in daylight or bright conditions or reduced contrast sensitivity.
  • The patient has a best corrected visual acuity of better than 6/12 in the affected eye but they are working in an occupation in which visual acuity better than 6/12 is essential to their ability to continue to work.
  • Where there is anisometropia following cataract surgery with a refractive difference between the two eyes of at least +/- 2.0 dioptres resulting in poor binocular vision or diplopia.
  • Patients with rapidly progressive myopia.

Cataract surgery is also routinely commissioned under the following circumstances:

  • Patients with glaucoma who require cataract surgery to control intra-ocular pressure.
  • Patients with glaucoma who have undergone a trabeculectomy.
  • Patients who have undergone a vitrectomy.
  • Patients with diabetes in whom removal of the cataract is necessary to facilitate effective screening for diabetic retinopathy.

Referral Instructions

Where the circumstances of treatment for an individual patient do not meet the criteria described above exceptional funding can be sought. Individual cases will be reviewed by the appropriate panel of NHS Devon upon receipt of a completed application from the patient's GP, consultant or clinician. Applications cannot be considered from patients personally.

Applications for consideration for funding approval should be sent to:

Email:d-icb.ifr-newsdt@nhs.net

Patient Information

Individual Funding Request (IFR) Patient information leaflet

Date of publication: 19 October 2015

This policy has been adopted from Northern, Eastern and Western Devon CCG

and South Devon and Torbay CCG by NHS Devon CCG from 1 April 2019