Cataract is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. It is a condition that may be seen at birth or in the elderly. When it appears in newborns, it is usually the result of chemical or physical injury during pregnancy. In the elderly, on the other hand, it is a normal change of aging. Surgery is performed to remove the cataract and restore vision. There are some things on cataract surgery San Antonio residents need to know as they plan to have the procedure.
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.
The more preferred option is replacement of a damaged lens with an artificial one. Artificial lenses are more transparent but have the disadvantage of not being able to stretch like the natural ones when focus shifts from one object to another. The method that is used to remove and replace the lens is referred to as phacoemulsification. It involves the opening up of the lens through a surgical incision and melting the hardened center before suctioning it out using 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.
You will notice improvements within hours or days of having the procedure. Some of the benefits include improved perception of color, visual acuity and ability to look directly at bright objects. Maximal improvements take a few weeks to be realized. In the event that you have an artificial intraocular lens placed in the eye you will also have a pair of glasses prescribed. This is because the artificial lenses cannot readjust for far and near vision.
There are very few complications as long as no underlying conditions exist. Those that may be encountered include bleeding and eye infections after the operation. Fortunately, these can be managed fairly easily. In the long term, patients may suffer from a condition known as posterior capsule opacification, PCO. It results from the re-accumulation of the cloudy substance. It corrected using laser surgery.
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.
The more preferred option is replacement of a damaged lens with an artificial one. Artificial lenses are more transparent but have the disadvantage of not being able to stretch like the natural ones when focus shifts from one object to another. The method that is used to remove and replace the lens is referred to as phacoemulsification. It involves the opening up of the lens through a surgical incision and melting the hardened center before suctioning it out using 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.
You will notice improvements within hours or days of having the procedure. Some of the benefits include improved perception of color, visual acuity and ability to look directly at bright objects. Maximal improvements take a few weeks to be realized. In the event that you have an artificial intraocular lens placed in the eye you will also have a pair of glasses prescribed. This is because the artificial lenses cannot readjust for far and near vision.
There are very few complications as long as no underlying conditions exist. Those that may be encountered include bleeding and eye infections after the operation. Fortunately, these can be managed fairly easily. In the long term, patients may suffer from a condition known as posterior capsule opacification, PCO. It results from the re-accumulation of the cloudy substance. It corrected using laser surgery.
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