Cataract is the clouding of the lens of the eyes. It affects vision. A thin lining of cloudy natural lens is removed from the eye because it blocks the passage of light. This is how a cataract surgery is done. Cataract surgery is a harmless procedure. Every year, there are more than 1.6 Americans who undergo this treatment to repair their vision. More than half of the American population have cataract or may have been through a cataract surgery by the age of 80. Some people believe that when one eye has cataract, the other eye will definitely be next. This is a myth. Cataract doesn’t spread. It can occur in either or both eyes though.
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On the day of the surgery itself, there is a list of things to do such skipping breakfast and avoiding intake of liquids. An eye drop to dilate pupils and sedative are given prior to the actual procedure. Topical anesthesia is also given in order for the patient not to feel the pain. After the areas around the eyes were completely cleansed and after a sterile covering is put into place, at least a small cut is done into the eye to enable the surgeon to remove the cloudy lens. There are two methods to remove the cloudy lens. One is through sonically breaking up the cataract then extracted out of the eye. The other one is through mechanically breaking up the cataract into small pieces then removed from the eye through a small incision. After this, a plastic or silicon intraocular lens will replace the natural lens that was taken off the eye.
After the operation, a protective shield is placed on the eye. Then the patient is usually sent home after few minutes in the recovery room. Surgeons advise patients to apply eye drops for a number of times in a day. This goes on for few weeks depending on the surgeon’s advice. Just like any other medical procedure, there are dos and don’ts patients are given to ensure effectiveness of the operation.
The price of a cataract surgery is around $3,000, exclusive of health insurance. Fortunately, HMOs, Medicare and other health insurances cover this specific surgery. It is indeed pricey however, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery reports 98% of the patients believe it is highly recommended since it simply worked for them.
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Early signs of cataracts such as declining visual clarity may be ok. You are still able to drive, watch television and so on. But if your daily lives are severely affected by advanced cataracts that can not be corrected by plastic eyeglasses or contacts, it is the right time to receive a cataract surgery. During a surgery, the clouding on your lens will be removed and an artificial intraocular lens will be implanted to restore your focusing power.
Certain medications and nutritional supplements may cause side effects during a cataract surgery, so that the patient should consultant the doctor that whether he should stop taking certain medications. Another critical issue is the selection of IOL type: a single vision IOL or a presbyopia-correcting IOL. Multifocal IOLs are always more expensive but they will provide more clear vision for people above 40. After determining the IOL type, another preparation before the surgery is the measurement of IOL power. For most of the patients, a cataract surgery will treat only one eye at a time, even if both of the eyes have cataracts. If necessary, the other eye will be corrected at least two weeks later.
On the day of the surgery, the patient may be asked to avoid drinking liquids and eye makeup. For eye relaxation, a sedative may be used and your eye skin will be comprehensively cleansed. Using an ultrasound-driven instrument, the doctor will make an incision into your eye, so that your lens’ cloud can be divided into small pieces. Another instrument will be used to get them out through the incision. The last two steps are implanting the IOL and suturing the incision.
On your way home after the surgery, a protective shield is needed to block sun rays. During the following few weeks, eye drops prescribed by your doctor should be applied several times every day. It is also important to avoid some things during the recovery period, such as heavy lifting, any activity that increases your eye stress, water contact, dust etc… For best outcome, you should also follow those special instructions from your doctor.
Even if the surgery has been performed successfully, certain complications may occur, such as glaucoma and intraocular pressure buildup. Other rare conditions include de-centered IOL, tearing of the posterior capsule and potential detached retinas. Some doctors think that detached retinas have no direct relation to the surgery, since some patients have already suffered from that before the surgery. Patients with high myopia may need to take a YAG laser capsulotomy procedure to correct a secondary Cataract, which increases the risk of detached retina. The most severe complication should be endophthalmitis, which causes widespread inflammation or infection. Fortunately, the rate of developing endophthalmitis is as low as 0.1%.
It is reported that as much as 95.5% of patients can restore normal 20/40 vision and sight-threatening complications occur on only 2% of the patients, most among which are old individuals. The most satisfying outcomes are always found on young people.
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