Cataract surgery is a day care procedure, wherein the natural lens inside our eye, that has become cloudy is removed and replaced with an artificial lens called intraocular lens to restorelloe clear vision

When the natural lens become cloudy, due to protein clumping eye and falling on to the retina resulting in blurred vision

Blurred vision, glare-reading to difficulty in driving at night, double vision, frequent change of glass prescription, improvement in near vision (second sight) that can get worse later on.

Cataract develops in the following conditions:

• When the protein builds up in the natural lens of the eye due to-Aging.
• During pregnancy infections such as chickenpox, rubella, toxoplasma, and poor development in the womb
• Secondary – Due to diabetes, exposure to u-v light or radiation, taking drugs like steroids or diuretics
• Other causes – smoking, drinking, air pollution

If the vision can be corrected with glass, then you can wait for the cataract surgery. if vision cannot be corrected with glasses and performing routine activities in daily life is becoming difficult, then you may need cataract surgery.

Nowadays, cataract surgeries are a simple, safe and   day care procedure, done to restore vision loss due to cataract in a very effective way. Besides, the intra operative and post operative period is mostly uneventful.

Most of the cataract surgeries are uncomplicated and takes no longer than 10-15 minutes to perform. After the surgery, you can take rest for half an hour to an hour in the recovery room or ward and then leave. Once the eye shield is removed, you will be asked to apply antibiotic and anti- inflammatory eye drops for a month or so, to help prevent infection & control inflammation some patients see very well the day after cataract surgery. Others see well a few days after surgery &still others may need a full month to reach their maximum vision improvement.

Cataract surgery is a procedure done to remove the cataract our lens that is cloudy, and replace it with the artificial intra-ocular lens, to restore normal vision.

Laser cataract surgery used an advanced femtosecond laser to replace the manual. Hand help surgical steps like corneal incision. Anterior capsulotomy (capsulorhexis) and lens fragmentation in a more precise way.

Yes if the vision loss due to cataract cannot be corrected with glasses and performing everyday activities especially driving vehicles becomes difficult, then it is advisable to undergo cataract surgery as early as possible.

Nowadays, due to the advanced surgery techniques, the recovery time post-operatively is very quick and uneventful mostly; you can have your regular bath below neck and have a towel bath for your face the first 1 week. after that you can have your shower, avoiding direct contact of water in to the eye.

Cataract surgery is generally a very safe day care procedure. However, while the risks are minimal, patients should anticipate the development of some side effects after treatment they include

1. Blurry vision-for the first few days after surgery which will improve as the eye heals with the application of post operative medications
2. Red eye/blood shot eye-which will settle down within few days.
3. Black eye-Due to injection of anesthesia below the lower eyelid prior to surgery.
4. Discomfort-Minor pain can be experienced by few patients that can be treated with analgesics (pain killers).
5. Dry,it by eyes-can occur because of the corneal incisions made during cataract surgery lubricant eye drops will help these patients.

Before cataract surgery, the ophthalmologist performs a comprehensive eye examination of both your eyes including refraction to check your power. Additional tests to determine your corneal curvature and axial length of the eye will also be done to determine your intra-ocular lens power. A series of blood tests and ECG will also be done to assess the general condition of the patient prior to the surgery. After all these assessments, if the patient is medically & ophthalmological fit for cataract surgery, then he/she will be given a set of pre-operative medications a day or two before surgery.

Before going for a cataract surgery, it is important to know the various things related to it.

Ultrasound test: Usually before the cataract surgeries say a week before your eye surgeon will do an ultrasound test to your eyes to check the size and shape of the eye. Based on this test the doctors will plan the right type of lens to implant.

Eye drops: Doctors will prescribe special eye drops two or three days before the surgery to avoid infection risk.

Medicines: Apart from the eye drops you may be taking few more medicines. It is always advisable to ask the doctor whether you can take the regular medicines. In most cases, doctors may ask you to stop the regular medicines to avoid the risk of bleeding.

Fasting: You may be advised not to drink or eat 12 hours before the cataract surgery. Again this is a precautionary measure to avoid future complications.

Post treatment instructions: After the surgery, doctors will give you specific instructions on the dos and don’ts. You will have to strictly follow that. Even though the cataract surgery is a one day procedure, you need someone’s help to go back home. So you will have to arrange someone to be with you to help you. You may be restricted from doing certain activities at least for a week. Apart from whatever the doctor says, if you have any questions on your mind, please do not hesitate and get it clarified from the doctor.

Use of femto second laser for cataract surgery, can improve the precision & accuracy of various steps in cataract surgery, potentially reducing the risks and improving the visual outcomes.

Cataracts, nowadays are removed by a procedure called phaco-emulsification, wherein a high frequency ultrasound device breaks the cloudy lens into small pieces, which are then gently removed by suction. After this, a clear intraocular lens is placed in the same location where the natural lens was occupying earlier.

The postoperative eye drops, which are given to prevent infection & control inflammation, may have to be applied for a month or so.

Cataract surgery is done only once, unless & until there is some complication, wherin the patient is taken again to the OT for any reparative procedure

No. A cataract cannot come back after cataract surgery. But after cataract surgery, the posterior lens capsule holding the intra-ocular lens can become cloudy & give rise to blurry vision similar to that of a cataract. This is called posterior capsular opacification which is treated with Yag Laser, that creates an opening in the center of the opacified capsule to allow the light to enter the eye.

Cataract Surgery is performed on people who have a difficulty in doing their normal activities due to blur vision then the doctor may prescribe for a surgery. Cataract Surgery need not be done on an emergency basis unless the doctors say so. In most cases, the patient may have another eye problem along with cataract. If doctors have difficulty in treating the other problem because of cataract then a cataract surgery may be suggested.

Another important thing to be noted about cataract is, the surgery as such is not mandatory. If the affected person has good vision in spite of having cataract, then the surgery is not a must. It can be postponed to a later date. Before going for a cataract surgery you need to ask yourself some of the basic questions given below:

• Do I have difficulty seeing in bright lights?
• Do I have a problem in vision while driving?
• Do I have problems watching television or reading?
• Do I have problem in vision while cooking?

If you find that you experience some of the above, it is advisable to consult your doctor. Cataract Surgery generally will not have any complications and the success rate is also on the higher side. So you need not fear, if doctors suggest for a Cataract Surgery.

Cataract Surgery involves the following risks:

• Bleeding
• Glaucoma
• Inflammation
• Detachment of Retina
• Swelling
• Artificial lens dislocation
• Infection in eye
• Drooping eyelid
• Vision loss
• Secondary cataract

As mentioned earlier cataract surgery is one of the safest surgery. In spite of that, there is chance of complication to occur when the patient has a serious eye problem along with cataract. In some cases cataract surgery had to be performed before treating the other eye problem. In some cases it is the other way. Wherever possible it is always good to get the other eye problem treated before a cataract surgery is done.

Before the cataract surgery is performed, you need to decide on what type of lens you want to implant. In general, an artificial lens called as intraocular lens (IOL) will be prescribed by doctors to be paced in your eyes. Once fixed, it will be part of your eye permanently.

Intraocular lens are of various types. The lens will change based on your usage and pricing. However, your doctor will advise which type of lens will be useful for you. When selecting the lens also be aware of things like insurance. Sometimes this may not be covered in insurance.

Intraocular lens is usually made of silicone, plastic or acrylic. There are flexible and rigid intraocular lens available. This will change based on the condition of the patient. In some cases the intraocular lens needs to be placed in the eye by incision. There are many types of lenses available namely multifocal, toric lens, accommodating-focus monofocal and fixed-focus monofocal. Each of it is used for different purposes. Your eye surgeon will guide you on which lens will suit your purpose best.

If you have gone for an eye check-up, they generally place eye drops to your eye. In the same way, before the surgery, eye drops will be given to your eyes to dilate the pupil. After that local anaesthetics will be given and in some cases sedative will also be given. During the surgery, your blurred natural lens will be replaced with artificial lens. There are also instances where the cataract will be removed without placing an artificial lens. The entire surgery will not take more than an hour. In most of the cases, the patient can be discharged the same day.

Now let us see how the cataract is removed by surgery. During a cataract surgery, the eye surgeon follows a procedure called phacoemulsification. The surgeon will use ultrasound waves to remove cataract by breaking the formation in the eye. Another way of doing the cataract surgery is, by using the laser technique where the cataract is softened and then removed. This is a painless procedure and will hardly take 30 minutes to be completed. This is the most commonly used procedure performed by majority of the surgeons. There is also one more way of removing the cataract which is known as extra capsular cataract extraction. This is prescribed only if there are too many complications in the eye.

Though cataract surgery is a day care procedure, the post-operative care is very important .you will be given a pair of sunglasses to wear or the operated eye can be patched, depending on the surgeon’s discretion. A set of post-operative medications particularly eye drops will be given. which has to be applied diligently.

As soon as the eye shield or patch is removed on the first post-operative day, your vision can be blurry, your eyes can be red or you can have a black eye(due to injection of anesthesia)and you can have mild pain or irritation. All this will settle down within few days, so you need not be worried.

After the cataract surgery gets over you are definitely going to witness better eye sight. You will be able to see things a little brighter than you saw earlier. This clarity in vision is due to the new lens fixed in your eyes. Generally after surgery your vision will be little blurry, but it will soon become normal as your eye heals.

You may feel itching and little discomfort for the first 2-3 days. If it is very severe, please check with your doctor. You may have to visit your doctor on regular intervals say weekly and monthly to understand whether everything is fine after surgery. You may also be prescribed with some eye drops and medication after surgery. Kindly follow all this regularly to recover fast.