Definition | Cause | Treatment | Surgery

MOUSE-OVER PICTURE

A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s naturally clear lens. The lens focuses light rays on the retina (the layer of light-sensing cells lining the back of the eye) to produce a sharp image of what we see. When the lens becomes cloudy, light rays cannot pass through it easily, and vision is blurred.

What causes cataracts?

Cataracts are a normal process of aging, but they can also develop from eye injuries, certain diseases or medications. Your genes may also play a role in cataract development.

How can a cataract be treated?

A cataract may not need to be treated if your vision is only slightly blurry. Simply changing your eyeglass prescription may help improve you vision for awhile.

There are no medications, eye drops, exercises or eyeglasses that will cause cataracts to disappear once they have formed. Surgery is the only way to remove a cataract. When you are not able to see will enough to do the things you like to do, cataract surgery should be considered.

In cataract surgery, the cloudy lens is removed from the eye through a surgical incision. In most cases, the natural lens is replaced by a permanent intraocular (IOL) implant.

What can I expect if I decide to have cataract surgery?

Before Surgery

Once you and Dr. Gupta have decided that your cataract should be removed, you will be given a thorough eye examination. During the exam, your eye will be measured to determine the proper power of the intraocular lens that will be placed in your eye. Ask Dr. Gupta if you should continue taking your usual medications before surgery.

You should make arrangements to have someone drive you home after surgery.

The day of Surgery

Surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis, either in a hospital or your ophthalmologist’s office. You may be asked to skip breakfast, depending on the time of your surgery.

When you arrive for surgery, you will be given eye drops and perhaps a sedative to help you relax. A local anaesthetic will numb your eye. The skin around your eye will be thoroughly cleansed, and sterile coverings will be placed around your head. Your eye will be kept open by a lid speculum or another method. You may see light and movement, but you will not be able to see the surgery while it is happening.

Under an operating microscope, a small incision is made in your eye. In most cataract surgeries, tiny surgical instruments are used to break apart and suction the cloudy lens from your eye. The back membrane of the lens (called the posterior capsule) is left in place.

A plastic, acrylic or silicone intraocular lens implant is placed in your eye to replace the natural lens that was removed. The incision is then closed. If stitches are used, they usually do not need to be removed.

When the surgery is complete, your doctor will often place a shield over your eye. After a short stay in the outpatient recovery area, you will be ready to go home.

The intraocular lens implants (IOL’s) are permanent and do not require special care and handling and do not deteriorate over time.

Following Surgery

You will need to:

• use the eye drops as prescribed
• be careful not to rub or press on your eye
• avoid strenuous activities until the eye has healed
• ask your doctor when you can begin driving
• wear eyeglasses or an eye shield as advised by your doctor

You can continue your normal daily activities. Over-the-counter pain medication may be used, if necessary.

Is a laser used during cataract surgery?

Laser surgery is not part of the cataract removal surgery. However, the posterior capsule (the part of the eye that holds the lens in place) sometimes becomes cloudy several months or years after the original cataract operation. If the cloudy capsule blurs your vision, Dr. Gupta can perform a second surgery using a laser. During the second procedure, called a posterior capsulotomy, a laser makes an opening in the cloudy lens capsule to restore normal vision.

Will cataract surgery improve my vision?

The success rate of cataract surgery is excellent, resulting in improved vision in the majority of patients. Only a number of patients have problems.

Complications after cataract surgery?

Though they rarely occur, serious complications of cataract surgery are:

• infection
• bleeding
• swelling
• detachment of the retina

Call the Gupta Eye Centre immediately if you have any of the following symptoms after surgery:

• Pain not relieved by non-prescription pain medication
• Loss of vision
• Nausea, vomiting or excessive coughing
• Injury to the eye

Even if cataract surgery is successful, you still may not see as well as you would like to. Other problems with your eyes, such as macular degeneration (aging of the retina), glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy, may limit you vision after surgery. Even with such problems, cataract surgery may still be worthwhile.