Cataract is a very serious eye problem. Every three out of four Indians aged 60+ suffer from cataracts!
According to the WHO, “Cataract is clouding of the lens of the eye which impedes the passage of light. Although most cases of cataract are related to the aging process, occasionally children can be born with the condition, or a cataract may develop after eye injuries, inflammation, and some other eye diseases.”
Nearly half of the world’s blindness can be attributed to cataract. A surgery for cataract has become a common thing now…but do we know what exactly does it involve? Wouldn’t hurt to, would it?
What exactly is cataract?
Light rays pass through the lens of our eyes and forms an image on the retina, the impulses of which are carried to the brain to process the signals. Over time though, the lens of the eye starts clouding and prevents the rays of light from entering the eye. This leads to dimmed, blurred or blotted vision.
What is done in a cataract surgery?
However scary it sounds, a cataract surgery is now one of the easiest, safest and most efficient eye surgery performed.
Simply put, it involves breaking down the original lens, removing it and replacing it with a clear artificial one. This eye problem can be solved by three methods:
- extra capsular cataract extraction (ECCE)
- phacoemulsification (phaco)
- small incision cataract surgery (SICS)
All of the technical jargon just stand for different ways of breaking down the lens, either by using ultrasound or laser beams respectively.
The phacoemulsification technique was by far the most extensively used technique which is now being replaced by the use of laser due to their improved accuracy. It has it’s disadvantages though as it risks safety.
For detailed information about cataract surgery, ask your doctor during your preoperative eye exam and surgery consultation for each case is different and may need special attention.