Cataract occurs when there’s clouding in the lens of a person’s eye. The lens could be found behind the iris or the colored part of our eyes. If the eye lens is yellowish or clouded, the light is scattered. This can make the vision blurry or sensitive from lights, most especially during nighttime. Cataracts could affect just your right or left eye or may develop to both. There are possibilities that one eye can be worse than the other. Cataracts are typical in patients who are over age forty years old or older. They may feel a gradual change in their vision as the cataract advances. What’s more is that there are health problems, eye injuries, and some medications, such as eye drops or eye creams that could cause cataracts. At 1st, it may not bother you but eventually the cloudy vision as well as light sensitivity may affect your daily life. This is the time when cataract surgery may be needed.
What treatments can you get when you have a cataract?
Cataract surgery is recommended to remove the cloudy lens in the eye. In this operation, the eye surgeon will remove the cloudy lens and then replace it with a clear artificial 1 known as the intraocular lens. It’s a simple as well as quick outpatient basis surgery that often takes up to half an hour only. You can also go home on the same day right after your surgery so you have much time to rest at home in order to adjust to your new vision. During the whole procedure, the patient will need to lie down. The eye doctor will numb the operating eye using anesthetic drops or an eye injection. An anesthetist will even provide intravenous sedation; therefore you will feel comfortable and painless throughout the surgery. You will be awake the entire surgery and may see some flashes of light in front of you. Cataract surgery is conducted in various ways, based on what is best for the patient’s condition. 1 way is to make a large cut through the eye and remove the lens in one piece. The other method is done via a keyhole incision. Ultrasound waves are used to break up the cataract lens into tiny pieces and then remove using vacuum. Studies show that this type of micro incision surgery, which will break up the lens works better, that is why eye surgeons usually use it.
The moment the cataract lens has been removed, the eye doctor will then put a clear and artificial plastic lens in the eye. It is recommended to implant the artificial lens right after cataract surgery. Some people can’t afford the cost of the artificial lens and choose not to have it. They will then end up getting thick eyeglasses or special contact lenses after the surgery. After the surgery, the patient must keep the eyes protected from dust, pollution, water and trauma during the 1st few weeks. This will help the eyes heal faster after the operation.
Do not hesitate to get in touch with Atlas Eye to learn more about how cataract surgery can help you. You may even call their office in Singapore or visit their website to set up an appointment.
