|
Cataracts usually
develop as part of the normal aging process. But
they can also result from eye injuries, certain
diseases or medications. Genetic factors may also
play a role in cataract development.
How
can a cataract be treated?
A cataract may not need
to be treated if your vision is only slightly
blurry. Simply changing you eyeglass prescription
may help to improve your vision.
There are no
medications, eyedrops, exercises or glasses that
will cause cataracts to disappear once they have
formed. Surgery is the only way to remove a
cataract. When you are not able to see well enough
to do the things you like to do, cataract surgery
should be considered.
In cataract surgery, the
cloudy lens is removed from the eye through a very
small surgical incision (not with a laser). In most
cases, the focusing power of the natural lens is
restored by replacing it with a permanent
intraocular lens implant.
What
can I expect if I decide to have surgery?
Before surgery
Once you and your
ophthalmologist have decided that you
will have your cataract removed, your eye will be
measured to determine the proper power of the
intraocular lens that will be placed in your eye
during surgery.
Ask your ophthalmologist
if you should continue to take your usual
medications.
Finally, make
arrangements to have someone drive you to and from
the surgery.
The day of surgery
Surgery is usually done
on an outpatient basis. You may be asked to skip
breakfast. When you arrive for surgery, you will be
given eyedrops and a sedative to help you relax. A
local anesthetic will numb the eye area. Your eye
will be kept open by a special instrument. You may
see light and movement, but you will not be able to
see the surgery while it is happening.
The skin around your eye
will be thoroughly cleansed, and sterile coverings
will be placed around your head.
Under an operating
microscope, a small incision is made in your eye.
Microsurgical instruments are used to break apart
and suction the cloudy lens from your eye. The back
membrane of the lens (called the posterior capsule)
is left in place.
An intraocular lens
implant will be placed inside your eye to replace
the natural lens that was removed. The incision is
then closed.
When the surgery is
complete, the doctor will place a shield over your
eye. After a short stay in the outpatient recovery
area, you will be ready to go home.
AN
INTRAOCULAR LENS IS PLACED INSIDE THE EYE TO REPLACE
THE LENS THAT WAS REMOVED
Following surgery
You will need to:
- use the eyedrops
as prescribed;
- be careful not
to rub or press on your eye;
- use
over-the-counter- pain medicine if necessary;
- avoid very
strenuous activities until the eye has healed;
- continue normal
daily activities and moderate exercise;
- ask your doctor
when you can begin driving;
- wear eyeglasses
or eye shield as advised by your doctor.
When is the laser used?
The
posterior capsule sometimes turns cloudy several
months or years after the original cataract
operation. If this cloudiness blurs your vision, a
subsequent surgery using a laser can be done by your
ophthalmologist.
A
LASER CAN MAKE AN OPENING IN A CLOUDY LENS CAPSULE
TO RESTORE NORMAL SIGHT
Will cataract surgery improve my vision?
The
success rate of cataract surgery is excellent,
resulting in improved vision in the majority of
cases. A small number of patients may have problems.
Complications
Some
of the more serious complications that may affect
your vision are:
- infection;
- bleeding;
- swelling;
- detachment of
the retina.
Call
your ophthalmologist immediately if you have any of
the following symptoms after surgery:
- pain not
relieved by non-prescription pain medication;
- loss of vision;
- nausea, vomiting
or excessive coughing;
- injury to the
eye.
Pre-existing conditions
Even
if the surgery is successful, you still may not see
as well as you would like to. Other problems with
your eyes, such as macular degeneration (aging of
the retina), glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy, may
limit your vision after surgery. Even with such
problems, cataract surgery may still be worthwhile.
|
