What You Should Know About Cataract Surgery

A condition that normally occurs in old age is cataract. This is nothing but clouding that develops in the envelope or crystalline lens area of the eye. The cataract can differ in degree from mild to complete opacity and can hinder the light passage to a considerable extent. Mostly an age related condition, cataract can also occur owing to radiation exposure, eye injury or birth defect among children.

Protein clumping and gradual discoloration may be the main reasons behind the formation of cataract. They mostly impact both the eyes. However it can also advance quickly in the same eye. The factors that may lead to cataract formation at an earlier age include diabetes, excess of UV exposure, smoking, or the use of certain medications such as topical, oral or inhaled steroids.

The notable symptoms associated with this condition include difficulty with glare, blurred vision and increased nearsightedness with regular changes in eyeglass prescription and double vision in one eye. When left untreated cataract can lead to blindness or total loss of vision too.

Surgery is not recommended for cataract unless vision is impaired completely. The cloudy lens is replaced with artificial lens through surgery in the hospital. The 3 procedures that are involved in cataract surgery include Extracapsular surgery, Phacoemulsification (Phaco) and Intracapsular surgery.

In cases where the cataract is advanced, Extracapsular cataract surgery is performed. The lens is removed in one piece in this case through longer incision on the side of the cornea. Discomfort in this case can be high and visual recovery is also quite slower.

Intracapsular cataract surgery is more complicated than Extracapsular surgery. In this case the surgeon removes the lens as well as the enveloping capsule completely. The damaged lens is replaced with a plastic lens (an intraocular lens implant), which can remain in the eye permanently. With medical advancements in probe and laser surgery, cataract patients can have the major eye problems rectified once the cataract is removed.