Cataract is one of the most common eye disorders. In a healthy eye, the inner lens is completely transparent so the light can go through without any distortion. Cataract is what makes the vision foggy and blurry by changing the anatomy of this inner lens. This causes a loss of vision by blocking lightwaves to go through your eyes. This process is a long term gradual process that continues through time.
It is widely seen in elderly people but it can also be seen in these cases;
If you have such complaints, please see a doctor to have an examination of your vision quality.
The only way to treat it is to perform a surgery. Latest developments allow us to have the surgery needle-free and general anesthesia free in one day without the need of staying in the hospital.
The most preferred cataract surgery method is called PHACO(Phacoemulsification) in which the eye’s internal lens is emulsified with an ultrasonic device and aspirated out from the eye. Artificial and soft tissued lens is placed inside the eye. As the incision is very small, there is no sutures. For the last few years thanks to the technological advances, femtosecond laser is also used as a supportive side-method. It allows us to make the small incision without blade, using only laser. Most importantly, it helps us emulsify the inner lens, which means less risk of edema in cornea after the procedure. This method is also called laser cataract surgery.
The artificial lens is as important as the method that will be used in the surgery. It is decided in the pre-operation consultation with the doctor considering the patient’s complaints. There are 3 types of artificial lenses as Monofocal, Multifocal and Trifocal. Depending on the type of lens, the patient is likely to dispose of using glasses.
It is important to wait 4 or 5 days between the interventions of each surgery to avoid any risk of infection.
If you haven’t received additional information, you should use your eye drops for 15 days
Local
10-20 Minutes
2 Days
0-1 **
*It is for informational purposes only, be sure to consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
**Pain rating scale: from 0 = absence to 5 maximum pain.
Laser eye surgeries are not an obstacle for your future eye treatments.
During the cataract surgery, the lens placed in the eye can be adjusted to see the far or near distance. If it is adjusted to see the far distance, patient may need to use glasses to see near distance, viceversa. However, if trifocal (multifocal) lenses are used, all the visions problems such as myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism can be solved at the same time.
No, in any period of your cataract, you can have a surgery.
General anesthesia is only used for kids and babies. In cataract surgery for adults, local anesthesia is used to block all the muscles and nerves to eliminate the pain around the eyes.
After an examination, if your doctor approves, you can have it.