Cataract
What is cataract?
- Cataract is the clouding of the transparent lens that covers the cornea of the eye.
- Cataracts usually occurs in elderly patients, but it can affect younger patients in case of injuries, other related diseases (like diabetes) or in people with a long history of treatments with certain drugs (cortisone derivatives).
What are the first symptoms of cataract?
- Cataract manifests itself as a progressive decrease in visual acuity (distance vision especially), a change in color and contrast of the eye and a feeling of blindness in bright lights.
- Senile cataracts usually occurs in both eyes, but develops asymmetrically.
- It’s recommended for patients over the age of 40 to go check their eyes every six months.
Congenital cataracts
- Appears in infants. Cataracts can occur if the mother suffered an infection during pregnancy (like rubella).
- Children affected by congenital cataracts must go to an ophthalmologist at least once a year.
What to do before the surgery?
- Depending on the advice of the anesthetist, the patient must eat a very light meal or not eat anything at all at least a few hours before surgery.
- Children should not eat or drink at least 6 hours before surgery.
- The patient should continue taking his usual medication for associated systemic diseases (hypertension, asthma, etc.).
- Patients should not wear makeup that day.
How long does the surgery take?
- The cataract surgery time can vary depending on the complexity of the case.
- The patient can go home right after his surgery, but he must returns for a checkup the following day.
- Be sure to have someone take you home after your surgery.
How is the surgery performed?
- Before his surgical intervention, the patient will be examined by the anesthetist. Iin agreement with the eye doctor, he will choose the appropriate type of anesthesia.
- Anesthesia, most often, is a local injection near the eye or it can also be administered as eyedrops.
- General anesthesia is rarely indicated (eg, children).
- The most commonly used surgical technique is called phacoemulsification and consists of a small incision in front of the eye lens, fragmentation and aspiration using a probe with ultrasound. The lens implant is then inserted in place of the natural lens, behind the pupil.The incision doesn’t require suturing.
Recovery period
- The patient usually recovers completely in the course of 10-15 days. Visual recovery is complete after 30 days.
- Glasses may be prescribed after a few weeks if the recovery period is longer or if cataract surgery was more complex.
- The recovery of visual acuity depends on the existence of other diseases of the eye.
Are there any postoperative risks?
- There’s always a risk involved with anytype of surgery. Infection is the most serious complication after surgery.
What precautions should be taken after the intervention?
- It is very important that the patient keeps a very strict local hygiene. The patient must be very careful in the first 72 hours after his intervention.
- It is strictly necessary to perform postoperative treatment, which Pembroke Pines eye doctor say that most often consists of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops.
- Patient must not rub the operated eye or put any kind of pressure on the eyeball.
- Do not sleep on the side of the operated eye.
- The patient should wear goggles in the postoperative period.
- The patient can walk, read or to watch TV normally.
- New glasses will be prescribed for the patient 6-8 weeks after surgery.
- The patient should not lift heavy things.
- The patient cannot drive his car until getting permission from the ophthalmologist.
- The patient must take all medication prescribed by the eye doctor.
