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 condition varies in severity from one person to another. The usual history is that patients will notice a cloudiness in their vision that starts gradually and progresses slowly. Visual impairment may affect one or both eyes. Surgical intervention is needed to remove the opacity so as to allow light to reach the retina. The affected lens may be returned back or replaced in its entirety.
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.
There is a need for one to be properly prepared. Part of the preparation entails an ophthalmic examination that is done to confirm the diagnosis of cataract and its severity. Cases that are associated with mild impairment may not necessarily require surgical intervention. Infections and increased intraocular pressure may mean that the procedure be postponed until the conditions have been managed.
The operation is a minor surgical procedure that can be safely performed in an outpatient clinic. Except in rare cases, general anesthesia is not needed. What this means is that you will be awake as the operation goes on. To reduce the sensitivity of the eye being operated on, local anesthesia will be administered as eye drops or as an injection to the eye lids.
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.
There are a number of complications that may arise from this surgery. Although rare, one may suffer from bleeding into the eye. Infections may also be noted if adequate antibiotics are not used. The two complications are usually quite easy to manage and rarely impact on the outcomes. The main complication seen in the long term is posterior capsule opacification (PCO). It requires surgical correction.
The condition varies in severity from one person to another. The usual history is that patients will notice a cloudiness in their vision that starts gradually and progresses slowly. Visual impairment may affect one or both eyes. Surgical intervention is needed to remove the opacity so as to allow light to reach the retina. The affected lens may be returned back or replaced in its entirety.
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.
There is a need for one to be properly prepared. Part of the preparation entails an ophthalmic examination that is done to confirm the diagnosis of cataract and its severity. Cases that are associated with mild impairment may not necessarily require surgical intervention. Infections and increased intraocular pressure may mean that the procedure be postponed until the conditions have been managed.
The operation is a minor surgical procedure that can be safely performed in an outpatient clinic. Except in rare cases, general anesthesia is not needed. What this means is that you will be awake as the operation goes on. To reduce the sensitivity of the eye being operated on, local anesthesia will be administered as eye drops or as an injection to the eye lids.
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.
There are a number of complications that may arise from this surgery. Although rare, one may suffer from bleeding into the eye. Infections may also be noted if adequate antibiotics are not used. The two complications are usually quite easy to manage and rarely impact on the outcomes. The main complication seen in the long term is posterior capsule opacification (PCO). It requires surgical correction.
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