Cataract is a condition in which the normal crystalline lens of the eye becomes cloudy making you see the world as a blurred image.
“Light enters the eye and passes through the natural Crystalline lens“. (The transparent disc behind the pupil that helps bring light rays to a focus on the retina.) and is accurately focused onto the retina(The transmitter located at the back of your eye that sends the images to your brain.), creating a crisp, clear image.
As the eye ages, the lens becomes cloudier, allowing less light to pass through. The light that does make it to the retina is diffused or scattered, leaving vision defocused and blurry. Due to cataract sharp images become blurred, seeing at night may become difficult, colours may appear dull and you may need frequent change of glasses.
Cataract generally develops slowly and painlessly. In fact, you may not even realize that your vision is changing. Still, cataract can progress until you eventually do not experience a complete loss of vision, and neither diet nor laser treatment will make a cataract go away. The only truly effective treatment for cataract is to remove the clouded lens altogether. Fortunately, cataract surgery is one of the most common, safest, most effective surgical procedures – it's also one of the most successful. The idea of surgery may seem a little scary at first, but once you understand the process, and the life-changing, sight-restoring benefits it can offer, you'll likely wish you'd had the procedure even sooner!
Customized Cataract Surgery
The hospital specializes in providing Cataract surgery which is customized for the patient’s eye using the latest generation Swiss and American technology to provide the best possible vision to our patients.
Cataract surgery in recent years has undergone tremendous advances and we at our hospital are using the latest surgical techniques of surgery , utilizing smaller than 2mm incisions , Bladeless surgery systems , premium IOLs backed by the latest machines and a fully trained staff . We offer our patients the choice of the latest intra ocular lenses and provide help and advice to them in choosing the lens best suited to their lifestyle.
Different types of Lenses
There are three basic types of IOLs, each designed to correct vision at a specific visual range.
- Monofocal IOL:
An intraocular lens that provides patients with only one focal point. Typically, these lenses only correct distance vision i.e. lenses only correct vision at one portion of your visual range (typically vision at a distance). These may be Conventional or Toric Lenses. - Multifocal IOL:
An intraocular lens that provides patients with multiple focal points, correcting vision at a range of distances. Lenses are designed to correct a full range of vision – near, far and everywhere in-between. - Adaptive IOLs:
These are the latest generation of premium IOLs which mimic the mechanism used by the natural lens of the eye and hence provide you with a sharp image at all ranges of vision i.e. near, intermediate and far.
Cataract Surgery and Patient Guidelines
- We believe that a complete eye examination requires time (about two hours) if it is to be done thoroughly. Therefore, please make sure that you allow adequate time in your schedule. Also, if you have any questions or concerns about insurance coverage, please feel free to ask our office.
- Sunglasses are advised for use after a routine examination, so you may want to bring a pair with you.
- If you are to visit us in evening please make arrangement for someone to drive you back as driving in the night with dilated pupils is difficult.
nce you accept to undergo surgery at Mahajan Eye Hospital, we perform a few tests to find out the correct power of the lens to be implanted in your eye. Our counselor will discuss thoroughly all types of lenses with you and help you to choose a proper lens which will be beneficial for your lifestyle and help you enjoy your life the way you used to enjoy it earlier.
- Once you decide upon the lens, you will be instructed regarding the medicines to be started at home 1 day before surgery. Please make sure that you do not forget starting the medicines one day prior to surgery.
- You are requested to report at 12.00 pm on the day of surgery. Our staff will monitor your blood pressure, blood sugar and perform a few essential blood tests. The power of the lens to be implanted in your eye is confirmed again and the staff keeps applying antibiotic and local anaesthetic eye drops in your eye.
- The surgeries usually start by 4.00 pm and the order is decided according to eye condition, type of surgery or appointments in certain exceptional circumstances.
- You have to wash your face before surgery and then you are given clean O.T. clothes to change into.
Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure that typically takes only 20 to 30 minutes. Here’s a brief overview of the process:
- You’ll first receive a number of medicated eye drops, to prevent infection and inflammation, and to ensure you feel no pain during the surgery. You won’t be put to sleep for the procedure, but you’ll likely receive a mild sedative, to make sure you stay relaxed and comfortable throughout.
- After making a tiny incision in your cornea with a blade or a LASER, the surgeon will use a probe the size of a pen tip to break apart and remove the old lens. The most common technique for removing cataracts is a state-of-the-art process called Phacoemusification, in which high-frequency sound waves are used to break the lens into removable pieces.
- Once the old lens has been removed, the surgeon will insert the replacement IOL into your eye. Typically, the IOL is rolled up into the tip of an injector tool, so that it can be inserted through the same tiny incision. Once injected, the IOL unfolds perfectly into place.
- Because of the small surgical incision, you probably won’t require stitches – your eye should heal itself naturally. You’ll likely, however, have a protective patch placed over your eye for recovery.
And that’s it! All you’ll have to do after surgery is rest up for 30 min and you can return home after that, and get ready to enjoy the benefits of improved vision – often even better than before the cataract developed!
Of the vast majority of patients who have cataract surgery, only a small number experience complications. Infection, bleeding and retinal swelling or detachment might occur. Also, glaucoma, corneal clouding or loss of an eye are some of the more serious, but rare complications.
Those most at risk for complications include alcoholics, substance abusers, diabetics, and people with glaucoma, high myopia or vascular disease. If your eye is healthy before the surgery, the likelihood is that the surgery will be successful.
After Cataract: This is a condition which may arise 4 months to 4 years after surgery; your vision may get blurred due to the thickening of the capsule which holds the lens in place. This can be treated by creating a small opening in the capsule with a YAG laser. However with the use of the latest generation of lenses which are available today the probability of developing this problem has decreased significantly.
- Our staff will explain to you regarding the medicines to be used and you can go home after 30 minutes.
- You have to return the next morning for eye checkup.
- The medicines and further eye examinations continue till 6 weeks to make sure your eyes heal well.
Frequently asked questions about Cataract Surgery
Since cataract surgery does not take very long – often only 10-20 minutes – it’s unnecessary to put you completely asleep with general anesthesia. Instead, we use a local/topical anesthetic to numb your eye, and you don’t feel any pain.
Since cataract surgery does not take very long – often only 10-20 minutes – it’s unnecessary to put you completely asleep with general anesthesia. Instead, we use a local/topical anesthetic to numb your eye, and you will remain awake during the procedure.
We normally perform surgery on the other eye after 4 weeks so that the first eye gets a chance to be completely comfortable , however all patients are different and in certain patients we may operate early.
Patients generally spend only a few hours at the hospital or surgery center, and are allowed to go home the very same day.
Cataract surgery is not affected by the climate as the surgery is done in a modern temperature controlled operation theatre. Further the climate does not affect the healing of your eyes after surgery. As such this surgery can be done safely throughout the year.
These lenses are made by the latest techniques and will remain throughout your lifetime in your eye provided the eye does not undergo any trauma.
