Cataract is one of the major causes of blindness all over the world. It may be seen in newborns or in old age. When seen at birth, it is usually a consequence of drug or physical trauma to the baby during pregnancy. When seen in the elderly, on the other hand, it is considered a normal senile change. Surgery is used to remove the opacity and improve vision. If planning to have cataract surgery San Antonio residents need to understand a number of things.
The severity of visual impairment due to cataract varies from one person to another. One or both eyes may be affected. The natural history of this condition is a gradual onset of cloudiness of vision that progress slowly over some years (in the case of adults). The role of surgery is to get rid of the opacity in the lens. The natural lens may be returned to its position or replaced with an artificial one.
Replacement with artificial lenses is the more commonly performed procedure. This is because vision is better than when the natural lens is returned. The technique employed here is known as phacoemulsification (incision cataract surgery). It involves the creation of a small surgical cut on the cornea and lens to access the hardened center. Next, the substance is liquefied and suctioned from the lens under a vacuum.
It is important that one undergoes proper preparation before undergoing the surgery. For instance, the surgeon needs to conduct an ophthalmic examination of your eye to rule out alternative diagnoses. Glaucoma is one of the conditions whose symptoms closely resemble those of cataract. In the event that this condition exists alongside cataract, it must be treated first before one undergoes surgery.
It is possible to have the operation safely in an outpatient department of a hospital or even a well-equipped private office. This is mainly because, general anesthesia is rarely a requirement. Local anesthesia administered as eye drops or as an injection into the eyelids is enough to take care of any pain. The exercise will take between 30 minutes to an hour unless complications are encountered.
The adoption of laser techniques has contributed to better outcomes. Another major benefit of using laser is that more precise surgical incisions can be made compared to those made by the surgical knife. Bleeding and other complications are fewer when laser is used. Apart from making surgical cuts, laser beams have also replaced ultrasound probes in liquefying the hardened opacity before suctioning.
Improvements are almost immediate with most patients reporting a huge difference within a few days. Some of the benefits include improvements in visual acuity, better color perception and the ability to look directly at bright objects. Maximal benefits will, however, require a couple of weeks to be realized. When a new artificial lens is fixed, one will also need to have glasses so that they can have both near and far vision.
As is the case with many surgical operations, complications may be encountered in the course of this operation. Bleeding and infections are the most probable but are fairly easy to manage. The most serious long term complication is a condition referred to as posterior capsule opacification (or PCO). It occurs when the cloudy opacity reappears within the lens. Surgery is needed to correct the problem.
The severity of visual impairment due to cataract varies from one person to another. One or both eyes may be affected. The natural history of this condition is a gradual onset of cloudiness of vision that progress slowly over some years (in the case of adults). The role of surgery is to get rid of the opacity in the lens. The natural lens may be returned to its position or replaced with an artificial one.
Replacement with artificial lenses is the more commonly performed procedure. This is because vision is better than when the natural lens is returned. The technique employed here is known as phacoemulsification (incision cataract surgery). It involves the creation of a small surgical cut on the cornea and lens to access the hardened center. Next, the substance is liquefied and suctioned from the lens under a vacuum.
It is important that one undergoes proper preparation before undergoing the surgery. For instance, the surgeon needs to conduct an ophthalmic examination of your eye to rule out alternative diagnoses. Glaucoma is one of the conditions whose symptoms closely resemble those of cataract. In the event that this condition exists alongside cataract, it must be treated first before one undergoes surgery.
It is possible to have the operation safely in an outpatient department of a hospital or even a well-equipped private office. This is mainly because, general anesthesia is rarely a requirement. Local anesthesia administered as eye drops or as an injection into the eyelids is enough to take care of any pain. The exercise will take between 30 minutes to an hour unless complications are encountered.
The adoption of laser techniques has contributed to better outcomes. Another major benefit of using laser is that more precise surgical incisions can be made compared to those made by the surgical knife. Bleeding and other complications are fewer when laser is used. Apart from making surgical cuts, laser beams have also replaced ultrasound probes in liquefying the hardened opacity before suctioning.
Improvements are almost immediate with most patients reporting a huge difference within a few days. Some of the benefits include improvements in visual acuity, better color perception and the ability to look directly at bright objects. Maximal benefits will, however, require a couple of weeks to be realized. When a new artificial lens is fixed, one will also need to have glasses so that they can have both near and far vision.
As is the case with many surgical operations, complications may be encountered in the course of this operation. Bleeding and infections are the most probable but are fairly easy to manage. The most serious long term complication is a condition referred to as posterior capsule opacification (or PCO). It occurs when the cloudy opacity reappears within the lens. Surgery is needed to correct the problem.
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