The 5 Most Common Questions About Cataract Surgery
Whether your eye doctor has detected early cataract development, or you're beginning to experience visual symptoms like blurry vision, poor color vision, or a frequent change n your eyeglass prescription, there are a variety of treatment options for you to explore.
If you're in the early stages of cataract changes, you may be able to improve your vision simply by using a magnifying lens or increasing the lighting as needed.
However, cataracts can get to the point where the only option is surgery.
Since cataract development rarely causes long-term damage to the eye, surgery should only be considered after visual symptoms begin to develop.
When discussing the possibility of surgery with your surgeon, here are some of the most important questions you should ask: How is cataract surgery performed? The most common type of cataract surgery is called phacoemulsification.
Using this process, the surgeon will use a microscope and make a small incision in the eye's surface.
A probe is inserted into the eye that uses ultrasonic vibrations to dissolve the clouded lens.
Then, the pieces are suctioned out using the same probe.
After the cataract is removed, the doctor will place an artificial lens into the same area, which will help your eye focus after surgery.
There are also two other types of surgery.
Although less common, they may be used if your symptoms are more advanced.
Extracapsular cataract surgery - This type of surgery is used if the lens is too dense to dissolve into fragments.
It requires a larger incision so the cataract can be removed in one piece, instead of being fragmented.
As with the above procedure, an artificial lens is placed in the eye.
This surgery often requires several sutures to close the wound and has a longer recovery time.
Intracapsular cataract surgery - This requires the largest wound of all of the surgeries because the surgeon removes the entire lens and surrounding capsule together.
With this procedure, the intraocular lens is placed in a different location - in front of the iris.
Intracapsular cataract surgery is usually used in cases of significant trauma.
What can I expect prior to surgery? Before cataract surgery occurs, your doctor will discuss the surgery in depth, ask you questions about your medical history, and perform an exam.
At this time, you should tell your surgeon which medications you're currently taking and ask if you should avoid them prior to surgery.
Then, your doctor will make several calculations to determine the strength of the intraocular lens to implant.
The lens will be chosen based on the length of your eye and its corneal curvature.
On the day before the surgery, you should make arrangements with a friend or family member to have them pick you up after surgery.
What can I expect on the day of the surgery? On the day of the surgery, you'll be asked to arrive a couple hours before your scheduled procedure.
Normally, you'll meet with the anesthesiologist who will determine how much anesthesia and numbing drops you'll need.
The procedure itself should only take about 20-30 minutes.
Afterward, you'll be brought to a recovery area where you will have time to relax.
Depending on the type of anesthesia, you may need to have a patch on your eye for up to 24 hours.
At this time, the doctor will also talk to you about post-surgery treatment and prescribe eye drops that you should take during the weeks following surgery.
What should I expect immediately following surgery? You'll need to return to the doctor within the first few days following surgery, and again after the first few weeks.
These appointments are simply so your doctor can make sure everything is healing correctly.
During these weeks, it's likely you'll be using eye drops that protect against inflammation and infection.
You'll also be restricted on activities like bending forward, stooping to the ground, and lifting heavy objects.
You can usually return to work within a few days.
Are there complications associated with cataract surgery? Cataract surgery has a high rate of success and is one of the safest procedures available.
However, complications can arise, which your surgeon should discuss with you.
The most common difficulties are changes in eye pressure, persistent inflammation, infection, swelling of the retina at the back of the eye, and retinal detachment.
If the bag that the lens sits in is injured, the lens may need to be placed in a different location.
Very rarely, the intraocular lens doesn't function properly and may need to be exchanged, repositioned, or removed.
Although these complications are rare, they could lead to significant visual loss if not treated properly.
Another possible scenario is that during the months or years following surgery, the thin lens capsule may become cloudy, which causes blurry vision and gives the sensation that the cataract is returning.
This is known as a "secondary cataract," and can be treated by using a laser to create a hole in the cloudy bag.
The procedure takes just a few minutes and can rapidly improve vision.
If you're in the early stages of cataract changes, you may be able to improve your vision simply by using a magnifying lens or increasing the lighting as needed.
However, cataracts can get to the point where the only option is surgery.
Since cataract development rarely causes long-term damage to the eye, surgery should only be considered after visual symptoms begin to develop.
When discussing the possibility of surgery with your surgeon, here are some of the most important questions you should ask: How is cataract surgery performed? The most common type of cataract surgery is called phacoemulsification.
Using this process, the surgeon will use a microscope and make a small incision in the eye's surface.
A probe is inserted into the eye that uses ultrasonic vibrations to dissolve the clouded lens.
Then, the pieces are suctioned out using the same probe.
After the cataract is removed, the doctor will place an artificial lens into the same area, which will help your eye focus after surgery.
There are also two other types of surgery.
Although less common, they may be used if your symptoms are more advanced.
Extracapsular cataract surgery - This type of surgery is used if the lens is too dense to dissolve into fragments.
It requires a larger incision so the cataract can be removed in one piece, instead of being fragmented.
As with the above procedure, an artificial lens is placed in the eye.
This surgery often requires several sutures to close the wound and has a longer recovery time.
Intracapsular cataract surgery - This requires the largest wound of all of the surgeries because the surgeon removes the entire lens and surrounding capsule together.
With this procedure, the intraocular lens is placed in a different location - in front of the iris.
Intracapsular cataract surgery is usually used in cases of significant trauma.
What can I expect prior to surgery? Before cataract surgery occurs, your doctor will discuss the surgery in depth, ask you questions about your medical history, and perform an exam.
At this time, you should tell your surgeon which medications you're currently taking and ask if you should avoid them prior to surgery.
Then, your doctor will make several calculations to determine the strength of the intraocular lens to implant.
The lens will be chosen based on the length of your eye and its corneal curvature.
On the day before the surgery, you should make arrangements with a friend or family member to have them pick you up after surgery.
What can I expect on the day of the surgery? On the day of the surgery, you'll be asked to arrive a couple hours before your scheduled procedure.
Normally, you'll meet with the anesthesiologist who will determine how much anesthesia and numbing drops you'll need.
The procedure itself should only take about 20-30 minutes.
Afterward, you'll be brought to a recovery area where you will have time to relax.
Depending on the type of anesthesia, you may need to have a patch on your eye for up to 24 hours.
At this time, the doctor will also talk to you about post-surgery treatment and prescribe eye drops that you should take during the weeks following surgery.
What should I expect immediately following surgery? You'll need to return to the doctor within the first few days following surgery, and again after the first few weeks.
These appointments are simply so your doctor can make sure everything is healing correctly.
During these weeks, it's likely you'll be using eye drops that protect against inflammation and infection.
You'll also be restricted on activities like bending forward, stooping to the ground, and lifting heavy objects.
You can usually return to work within a few days.
Are there complications associated with cataract surgery? Cataract surgery has a high rate of success and is one of the safest procedures available.
However, complications can arise, which your surgeon should discuss with you.
The most common difficulties are changes in eye pressure, persistent inflammation, infection, swelling of the retina at the back of the eye, and retinal detachment.
If the bag that the lens sits in is injured, the lens may need to be placed in a different location.
Very rarely, the intraocular lens doesn't function properly and may need to be exchanged, repositioned, or removed.
Although these complications are rare, they could lead to significant visual loss if not treated properly.
Another possible scenario is that during the months or years following surgery, the thin lens capsule may become cloudy, which causes blurry vision and gives the sensation that the cataract is returning.
This is known as a "secondary cataract," and can be treated by using a laser to create a hole in the cloudy bag.
The procedure takes just a few minutes and can rapidly improve vision.
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