Cataract Surgery

What is Cataract?

Everyone gets cataracts that reduces our vision.It is part of being human. Cataracts, like wrinkles, are part of life. We all get them and they only get worse with time. Cataracts are especially common in people over 60 years of age. While the majority of cases are associated with advanced age, cataracts can be present from birth or an early age due to congenital reasons. They can also occur following eye trauma or due to other health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension. The condition is caused by the gradual clouding of the natural lens of the eye, so inhibiting clear vision. According to the World Health Organization, cataracts in one or both eyes are the leading cause of blindness around the world. Fortunately, careful monitoring and, when necessary, intervention, can practically eliminate vision loss or impairment caused by the formation of cataracts. This is done through cataract surgery that removes the clouded lens from the eye and replaces it with an artificial one, known as an intraocular lens (IOL). There are many different types of artificial lenses available. The most appropriate will be determined through an in-depth discussion of your condition and lifestyle needs with the cataract surgeon you have chosen.

Before treating cataracts

Your vision can be blurred and slightly less colorful. This visual and severity can be slightly different for each person.

After cataract treatment

After your eyes have healed from treatment, the clarity in your vision will improve dramatically, as well as your ability to see true color and vibrancy.

How do I know if I need cataract surgery?

In most cases, cataracts form slowly for many years. However, some medical conditions (such as diabetes and hypertension) can cause them to evolve more quickly. They can occur in one or both eyes and do not cause pain or externally obvious symptoms, such as redness. Because the formation of cataracts is so gradual, it is usually discovered with a regular eye examination.

As cataract progresses some of the common symptoms that may be noticeable include:

Cloudy or blurred vision
Reduction of the quality of night vision
Increase in sensitivity to light or glare
Seeing “halos” around a light source
Colors appearing faded or yellowed
The need for brighter light when reading and performing other close-up activities
More common changes for glasses or recipes of contact lenses

What happens during cataract surgery?

Most cataract surgery operations take around 30-45 minutes to perform and are performed under local anesthesia. This means that you are not put to sleep and you can return home the same day.

Your ophthalmologist will make a tiny incision in your eye, remove the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial one. If both eyes have cataracts that need treatment, then these will be done in separate procedures with a difference of 6-12 weeks. This gives enough time to each eye to heal and restore vision.

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