Most cataracts are associated with age. It happens because of the normal eye changes. But, you can get cataracts for some reasons, like after eye injury or after surgery due to glaucoma. Cataracts can be painless, but they cause discomfort in your vision.
If you suspect you have a problem with your vision, you need to see an eye doctor. If the doctor diagnosed that you have a cataract and worsening, you are advised to get a cataract surgery. Cataract surgery in Brisbane lasts about an hour and is almost painless. Usually, patients under cataract surgery are awake while on the procedure.
What is cataract surgery?
Cataracts are cloudy areas that form on the eye lens, which can be one or both of the eyes. The lens is the clear part of the eye behind the colored iris. The lens helps the eyes focus light. When the cataracts develop, the vision starts to blur and becomes hazy and less colorful among the other symptoms.
The symptoms get worse over time, especially when not treated. If the vision becomes bad enough that you may have trouble when reading, driving, or doing any activities, only cataract surgery is the solution to correct it. Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure, it means that patients don’t have to stay in a hospital. Instead, they can go home shortly after the surgery is done. Patients seeking enhanced visual clarity should consult the best laser eye surgeon available in their area.
What happens during the surgery?
During cataract surgery, an eye doctor removes the lens from the eye. It was replaced with an artificial lens called IOL (Intraocular Lens). The intraocular lens is made from three kinds:
- plastic
- acrylic
- silicone
There are various types of IOL. The ophthalmologist will discuss what works best for you. You can have different options, such as:
- Fixed-focus mono-focal IOLs
- Multifocal IOLs
- Extended depth-of-focus (EDOF) IOLs
- Accommodative IOLs
- Toric IOLs
- Light-adjustable IOLs
Is cataract surgery painful?
Cataract surgery is a painless, quick surgery to remove a cloudy lens that causes vision issues. A new intraocular lens is received that corrects nearsightedness and farsightedness. The surgery is the solution to keep you doing your usual tasks.
How do they remove cataracts?
The most common type of cataract surgery is what they call phacoemulsification. In the phacoemulsification process, the vibrating tip of the ultrasound probe breaks up cataracts. The surgeon suctions out the lens.
Are glasses needed after cataract surgery?
Generally, after a cataract surgery, people don’t need to wear glasses for distance viewing. However, some surgeons are very cautious, recommending that patients wear glasses for several days to protect their newly-surgery eyes. Glasses will serve as eye protection after the surgery But, this is only a recommendation and advice, it is not necessary.
How long does the cataract surgery procedure last?
Cataract surgery will take 10-20 minutes to complete, it depends on the severity. Plan to spend up to 30 minutes following the surgery for recovery from the sedative effects.
Before taking cataract surgery, you need to prepare everything, such as a pre-op exam, medications, and fasting.
Now, are you ready for cataract surgery?
