cataractoperation

TO ALL THOSE WHO NEED A CATARACT OPERATION

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Cataract surgery replaces the cloudy lens with a new, clear plastic lens. Everyone over the age of 65 years of age will eventually require a cataract operation. Past that age, the natural lens becomes hard and increasingly difficult to remove.

Major complications of cataract surgery include:

Complications of removing the natural lens e.g. the dropped nucleus is one of the most feared complications of modern day cataract surgery.

Complications associated with the new lens --- incorrect strength or dislocation of the implant.

Complications associated with local anaesthesia injections around the eye.

High pressure inside the eye.

Swelling of the retina --- macular edema.

Detached retina which can lead to loss of sight.

Infection of the eye --- endophthalmitis --- which can lead to loss of sight or even the eye.

Allergy to the medication used e.g. allergy to Diamox.

Clouding of the cornea --- corneal edema is one of the most common complications after cataract surgery.

Minor complications of cataract surgery include:

While biometry, which is the method used to calculate the strength of the new lens, is very accurate in the majority of patients, the final result may not always be perfect. As the eye heals, the new lens can shift very slightly toward the front or back of the eye. The amount of shift is not always the same for everyone and may cause different results from those that were predicted.

Patients who have had LASIK or other laser refractive surgeries are especially difficult to measure precisely and those with keratoconus will currently, not even be considered for cataract surgery which is a major complication for them. This is because ophthalmologists throughout the world cannot work out what lenses to use for keratoconus patients requiring cataract surgery. A recently discovered IOL algorithm may mean that this is no longer the case.

The new lens implant will focus for distance vision only. Usually, people choose to have good distance vision and are happy to use reading glasses for reading. Once you have a cataract operation you will

always require reading glasses for reading, unless you decide to have one of those fancy modern day implants.

The cataract operation will take approximately 6 weeks to heal.

You will be given eye drops to reduce inflammation for 3 weeks:

Week 1, 4 times a day

Week 2, 3 times a day

Week 3, 2 times a day

Posterior capsule opacification (PCO), is a complication that can occur after cataract surgery. 10% of people will develop PCO within 2 years of having cataract surgery.

During cataract surgery, the natural lens within your eye is replaced by a clear plastic lens. This new lens is placed inside your lens capsule, the membrane that originally held your natural lens. PCO occurs because cells remaining after cataract surgery grow over the back of the capsule causing it to become opaque. Remember that the front of the capsule has been removed during cataract surgery by a procedure called CAPSULORHEXIS.

PCO is treated by a very low risk, quick, painless laser treatment called posterior capsulotomy. The laser cuts away a small circle shaped area, leaving enough of the capsule to keep your artificial lens in place, but removing enough in the middle in order to allow light to pass through to the retina.

The laser beam, called YAG can cut through the lens capsule without cutting through the cornea. For those people suffering with glaucoma, beware because laser treatment may cause a temporary increase in your eye pressure.

SOURCES

https://sites.google.com/view/keratoconus

https://sites.google.com/view/markmcgowan

https://sites.google.com/view/royalperthhospital

https://sites.google.com/view/lionseyeinstituteofwa

https://sites.google.com/view/haigis

https://sites.google.com/view/dryeye

https://sites.google.com/view/xengelstent

https://sites.google.com/view/cataractoperation

https://sites.google.com/view/xen45

https://sites.google.com/view/cypass

https://sites.google.com/view/zioptan