Cataract is the leading cause of curable blindness in India. For most people with poor vision from cataract the prospects of regaining good vision and resuming normal daily activities are excellent. In our hospital, the services are oriented towards providing the low stress patient friendly personalized care. Now we will see few frequently asked questions about cataract, its causes, treatment for cataract and the different types of Intra Ocular Lens (IOL) that can be implanted during surgery.
What is cataract?
A natural crystalline transparent lens which allows us to see better, getting clouded and not allowing enough light to pass through and causing the disturbance in the vision is called as cataract.
What is lens?
The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps to focus light or an image on retina. The retina is the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
What are symptoms of a cataract?
Common symptoms of cataract are:
» Blurring of vision.
» Glare or light sensitivity.
» Frequent changes in the eye glass prescription.
» Poor night vision.
» Requires brighter light to read.
» Double vision.
» Fading colours.
» The above symptoms are not present and you may still have cataract.
The common misconceptions about cataract:
» Cataract is not an out side material which grows inside the eye.
» It is not caused by over using of the eye.
» It is not infectious / not spread from one person to other and one eye to other eye.
» It will not cause irreversible blindness unless it matures and explodes inside the eye.
» No medication, diet, exercise can cure cataract, surgery is the only option.
What causes a cataract?
The most common reason is aging. The systemic illness like Diabetes Mellitus, Hyper Tension etc may contribute to the early cataract growth. The other reasons may be:
» Family history
» Medical Problems such as diabetes, hypertension,
» Long tern use of medications such as steroids
» Injury to the eye
» Congenital
» Long tern unprotected exposure to heat, sun etc.,
Cataract Detection?
A thorough eye examination by an ophthalmologist detects the presence and extent of a cataract. Following are the few types of check ups:
1. Visual Acuity Test: This eye chart test measures how well you see at various
distances.
2. Dilated eye exam: Drops are placed in your eyes to widen or dilate the pupils.
Your eye care professional uses a special magnifying lens to examine your retina
and optic nerve for signs of damage and other eye problem. After the examination
your close up vision may be blurred for few hours.
Development of the cataract:
Development of the cataract varies from person to person, eye to eye. The age related cataract may take years to develop. In diabetics and younger patients cataract might develop rapidly.
Treatment of cataract:
Surgery is the only option available for cataract removal. No dietary supplements, medications, exercises or optical devices can prevent or delay or dissolve the cataract.
When should surgery be done?
Surgery should be considered when the cataract caused visual disturbance enough to interfere with daily activities. Based on the needs of the patient visual requirement surgery can be decided.
In the earlier days people use to wait till the cataract gets fully matured. Now a days advancement in the science have made cataract surgery a day care procedure which can be finished in few minutes and patient can walk back home immediately. The surgery done at the earlier stage has the better outcome compared to the surgery at the later stages.
What should I expect from a cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery is a microscopic surgery which can be performed under local anaesthesia (with almost painless injection) and topical anaesthesia (with the effect of the eye drops). The cloudy lens is removed leaving its bag behind, with in which an intraocular lens will be implanted. Patients can choose their choice of intra ocular lens depending on their visual requirement and life style. The discussion on the suitable IOL is beyond the limit of this web site. Normally patients may have to ware spectacle for the near work.
Silicone acrylic, multifocal unifocal hydrophobic, hydrophyllic iol decision based on patient requirement and health of eye.
What are the risks of cataract surgery?
As with any surgery, cataract surgery poses risks, such as infection and bleeding. Before cataract surgery, your doctor may ask you to temporarily stop taking certain medications that increase the risk of bleeding during surgery. After surgery, you must keep your eye clean, wash your hand before touching your eye and use the prescribed medications to help minimize the risk of infection. Serious infection can result in loss of vision. Should disclose all systemic illness and allergeies to make your surgery more safer and effective.
What happens before surgery?
Your doctor may ask you to undergo fitness evaluation. Pre operatively measurements are taken through scanning to know the power of the lens to be implanted. Detailed eye checkup dilatation 1 hrs
What happens during surgery?
At the hospital, drops will be instilled in to your eye which needs to be operated to dilate the pupil. The area around your eye will be washed and cleaned.
The operation usually lasts less than 15 mins (although time is never a criteria varies from patient to patient and eye to eye). Is almost painless. The anaesthesia drops will numb the nerves in and around the eye. After the operation an eye patch may be placed over the operated eye. Your will take rest for a while. Then you will be discharged from the hospital. You will have to report to your doctor if you feel more irritation, and other symptoms.
What happens after surgery?
The post operative period is unevent ful mild irritation,foreign body sensation watering is commong
Precautions to take after surgery?
For a few days after surgery, your doctor may ask you to use eye drops to help healing and decrease the risk of infection.
» Eye drops need to instilled according to the instruction / prescription from your eye
surgeon.
» Patients will have to keep their follow-up appointment without missing them.
» While you are at home avoid bending and lifting weights.
» Do not touch your eyes.
Post operative instruction may vary from patitnet to patient and based on the surgical procedure.
I have a diabetes? Can I undergo cataract surgery?
A well controlled diabetic can undergo cataract surgery like others with confidence.
Can complications develop after surgery?
Complications after surgery are rare, but then can occur. These problems can include infection, bleeding, inflammation (increased pain, redness, and swelling), and loss of vision, double vision, and high or low eye pressures and pco. The usage of hitech instruments combined with due care can decrease their chances. If you can report to your eye doctor at the right time and if the medical attention is given, most of the above complications are reversible.
When will my vision be normal again?
You can return quickly to day today activities. Initially you may feel your vision is blurred. It will start gradually improving and be normal by the end of 3rd week. However the visual recovery depends on many other parameters like control of systemic illness (DM, HTN), health of your eyes, your retina etc and may vary from individual to individual and ay be different in each eye..
To know the speciality of our hospital in cataract services click here
