Cataract surgery is a type of eye surgery that involves removing the lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. In fact, this procedure is used to treat a clouded lens in the eye.
Cataracts can cause blurred vision and increased glare from lights. If cataracts are interfering with your daily activities, your doctor may recommend surgery.
Also, when cataracts interfere with the treatment of other possible eye defects (such as macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy), this surgery becomes necessary.
In most cases, delaying cataract surgery does not have an adverse effect on eye health. Therefore, the patient has enough time to consider other treatment options. If the patient’s vision is good, this surgery is not necessary.
Necessary conditions before cataract surgery
Answer these questions before deciding to have cataract surgery:
- Are you able to drive and perform assigned tasks at work?
- Do you have any problems while reading or watching TV?
- Do you find it difficult to do activities such as cooking, shopping, cleaning the yard, climbing stairs, or taking medication?
- Have vision problems caused you to need help from others?
- Are you easily able to recognize people by their faces?
- Do bright lights negatively affect your vision?
Complications and risk factors after surgery
Side effects after cataract surgery are rare and are often successfully treated. Risk factors after this surgery include:
- Inflammation
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Inflation
- Retinal detachment
- Black water
- Cataract recurrence
- Vision loss
Having other eye diseases or serious medical conditions can exacerbate these factors. Cataract surgery may not improve vision in cases such as glaucoma or macular degeneration due to eye damage. Therefore, it is recommended that other eye problems be resolved before deciding to have this surgery.
Important points before surgery
Before undergoing cataract surgery, the patient is asked to pay attention to the following:
- Before surgery (one week), the person should undergo an ultrasound test to determine the shape and size of their eye. This test is essential for selecting the appropriate implantable lens.
- Avoid taking medications that may increase bleeding during surgery.
- It is recommended to administer antibiotics in the form of eye drops one or two days before the procedure.
- Avoid eating and drinking for twelve hours before the procedure.
- After surgery, the person will be able to return home (although someone will need to drive them there). Avoid activities such as lifting or bending for a week.
Cataract surgery is performed on an outpatient basis and takes about an hour or less. First, the doctor will dilate the pupil using eye drops. The patient will then be put under local anesthesia and may be given sedation, depending on the doctor’s preference.
During the procedure, the patient’s cloudy lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens. In some patients, cataracts can be treated without the need for an artificial lens implant. Possible surgical methods for treating cataracts include:
In the phaco procedure, the doctor makes a small incision in the eye over the cornea and uses a very thin needle probe at the site of the cataract to remove the defective parts of the lens. Ultrasound waves break the cataract into tiny particles that can be easily suctioned out by the probe. The posterior portion of the lens remains intact and is used to implant the artificial lens. If necessary, sutures can be used to close the incision.
In the extracapsular type, the doctor makes a larger incision in the eye to remove the capsule and the dark part of the patient’s lens. The back part of the lens is left intact, which is used to implant the artificial lens. Sutures are used to close the incision.
The intraocular lens used in cataract surgery is made of plastic, acrylic, or silicone. The lens is implanted in a way that it cannot be seen or touched. This lens does not require maintenance and is permanently placed in the eye.
There are also different types of intraocular lenses, and they require different incisions and therefore sutures to be implanted. Of course, most of these lenses are soft and are inserted into the eye through a small incision. Therefore, no sutures are needed or a small amount of sutures is sufficient.
Some of these lenses are able to eliminate ultraviolet light. In some cases, these lenses are bifocal and can provide adequate vision for both near and far objects. The best type of lens is selected based on the opinion of the treating physician.
Important tips after cataract surgery
Improvement in vision is noticeable within the first few days after surgery. Of course, the patient’s vision may be slightly blurred at first. Follow-up sessions after surgery are on the first and second days, the first week, and the first month. It is completely normal to feel discomfort or itching in the eyes in the first days. Avoid rubbing or squeezing your eyes. After surgery, especially while sleeping, you may need to use a bandage or protective plastic.
Prescription of special medications and eye drops is recommended to reduce inflammation and control eye pressure. Final healing is possible within eight weeks after surgery.
See your doctor if any of the following problems occur:
- Vision loss
- Persistent pain despite taking medication
- Increased eye redness
- Flashes of light or floating objects, such as spots, in your field of vision
- Nausea, vomiting, or excessive coughing
Most people will need to wear glasses after surgery. The appropriate time to get glasses is determined after the eye has fully healed and with the advice of a doctor.
If both eyes have cataracts, the doctor will perform surgery on the other eye one or two months after the first surgery. This is to allow time for the first eye to heal.
The success rate of cataract surgery is very high. Possible complications of surgery include posterior capsule opacification, retinal detachment, increased eye pressure, or cataract recurrence. Posterior capsule opacification can be treated with an outpatient procedure (about 5 minutes) using a YAG laser capsulotomy. In essence, the laser creates a narrow path in the capsule to allow light to enter it.
Premium intraocular lens
These lenses are the safest and most effective way to restore vision in patients with cataracts. They are also recommended for people who wear contact lenses regularly.
These lenses are made of biocompatible materials. Multifocal lenses are implanted behind the cornea on an outpatient basis.
Intraocular lenses have been approved by the FDA since 1981. The first generation of these lenses was called the monofocal intraocular lens. Premium intraocular lenses use the latest technology to provide clear vision for near and far objects.
Premium intraocular lens compared to monofocal type
Single vision lenses were only suitable for near or far vision. In most cases, people also needed to wear contact lenses. Despite the differences between the two types of lenses, both are inserted into the eye through invasive surgical procedures.
Who is recommended to use premium intraocular lenses?
- Age range 21 to 80 years
- Had cataracts.
- Reluctance to wear contact lenses
The treatment procedure for implanting a premium intraocular lens is the same for each of the above-mentioned applications. These lenses are also used as an alternative to PRK and LASIK laser surgery procedures.
Not using sutures during surgery results in better eye recovery.
Types of premium intraocular lenses
Manufacturers of these types of lenses have used several methods to achieve multifocal technology. Therefore, the choice of lens is made with the advice of the attending physician and after a complete eye examination. The most common types of these lenses include the brands Restor, Resum, and Crystalens.
