Cataract surgery is the solution if you are frustrated about your or your loved one’s deteriorating vision due to cataracts. But let us first get a general understanding of cataracts and how they are formed. When your natural lens in the eye loses its flexibility and changes color, it becomes cloudy. This can happen for various reasons, but aging is the most common cause. Other causes include eye injury, prolonged sun exposure, smoking, diabetes or glaucoma, etc. When your natural lens becomes cloudy, you may experience vision loss, double vision, blurry or hazy vision, tinted view of the surroundings, etc. These symptoms hinder your day-to-day activities, such as driving or even leaving the house.
Cataract surgery is a simple and quick procedure with a high success rate. Cataract surgery removes the natural lens in the eye due to its opacification. The natural lens is replaced with an artificial one called IOL. Nowadays, cataract surgery is done by either phacoemulsification or laser-assisted cataract surgery.
If you have cataracts, it is optional to get the surgery done immediately. You can sometimes wait for some months to get cataract surgery, as its progression is slow. Cataracts do not cause pain but can affect your vision and hinder your ability to perform routine activities. Talk to your doctor about when you should have cataract surgery based on what is best suited for you. There are several tests done before undergoing cataract surgery.
The AAO (American Academy of Ophthalmology) has developed a list to help determine if you need cataract surgery.
Symptoms like blurry, dim, yellow, or even double vision can hinder your day-to-day activities even when present in one eye. The contrast and clarity of your vision also can be affected by the development of cataracts leading to difficulties while driving, reading, cooking, etc.
Cataracts can cause halos around the light source. It can also cause difficulty seeing dim-light settings impacting driving at night.
Your cataract can increase your glare sensitivity, especially in sunlight, and cause trouble if your job requires you to work outdoors. Cataracts also cause visual differences in both eyes, leading to difficulty estimating far-place objects.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should consult an eye doctor who can evaluate your condition and recommend the appropriate treatment, which may include cataract surgery. Frequent changes in the prescription of your glasses may also be a sign that you may be developing a cataract. Note that your cataract will progress faster if you suffer from conditions like obesity, high blood pressure or diabetes. It is also important to note that cataract surgery is a safe and effective procedure, and the majority of patients experience significant improvement in their vision and quality of life after the surgery.
Most modern types of surgery involve replacing your lens with an IOL (intraocular lens). Some of them are listed below:
Your surgeon will make a 2 to 3-mm long incision in front of your eye for an ultrasonic probe. The probe will then break up the cataract with the vibration and removes the pieces with suction. A foldable lens is then inserted through the incision. After the surgery, a small wound is present that heals by itself (it does not need stitches to heal).
During this procedure, your surgeon will make a 9 to 13-mm long incision and removes the cataract-ridden lens. A replacement intraocular lens is then inserted through the incision. As there is a larger incision, this procedure has a higher risk of complication when compared to phacoemulsification
MSICS is a deviation from the MECS procedure. In this, a V-shaped incision is made, which is narrow on the outside of the eye and broadens on the inside. The incision outside is 6 to 7 mm, and the internal incision can be up to 11mm. Some studies provide similar outcomes.
This procedure uses a laser instead of a manual technique to make an incision in your eye. The laser can also divide and soften the cataract, resulting in less phacoemulsification energy required to remove the natural lens, leading to quick healing. This method enables the surgeon to make accurate incisions due to the laser used in this procedure. After FLACS, patients will not require glasses.
This older procedure removes the entire lens and capsule from your eye through a large incision. As this procedure has a higher risk of complications, it is rarely performed.
In cataract surgery, various artificial lenses can replace your natural lens. The type of lens you choose depends on your lifestyle and cost.
These are the most common lenses used for replacement. Monofocal lenses maximize your vision to a particular distance. Usually, these lenses are chosen for distant vision and reading glasses can be used for near vision.
These lenses are used for correcting astigmatism (a condition where the front of your eye has an irregular shape causing blurry vision).
These lenses have a corrective zone that stretches to maximize your distance and immediate vision. This is ideal for major computer work.
Contrasting to mono-focal lenses, these lenses can adjust the distance based on the activity of your eye muscle.
This lens splits the light that comes into your eyes and helps you see far and near objects. However, these lenses can cause halos and starbursts in some patients due to light splitting.
Cataract surgery usually is an outpatient procedure and takes 30 to 45 minutes to be completed. It is performed under local anesthesia, and you can go home the same day after the surgery. However, you should arrange a drive back home after the surgery
The rewards of cataract surgery are higher than the risks associated with it. Avoiding the slightest chance of a problem by carefully selecting a best cataract surgeon in bangalore , following post-op instructions, and reporting any symptoms of a potential complication can help you get the best possible outcome.
Consult Medfin doctors to curate the best way to cure your cataract. Trust our experts to find the methods that best suit you at Medfin.
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