What is cataract and how can surgery help?

14/06/2024

Cataract surgery is the most common surgery performed in the world. It helps clear up the foggy vision caused by cataracts, which are like tiny clouds forming in your eye lens.

What Are Cataracts?
Imagine your eye as a camera. The lens in your eye helps focus light onto the retina at the back, allowing you to see clearly. But sometimes, due to aging or other reasons, the lens gets cloudy, like a foggy window. This cloudiness is called a cataract. Cataracts are also the leading cause of blindness in the world, which can be reversed and treated through surgery.

The Diagnosis Journey
To know if you have cataracts, you visit an eye doctor. They'll do some tests, like checking how well you can see and using a special light to look inside your eye. If they find a cataract, don't worry; it's treatable!

Considering Surgery
If your cataract affects your vision a lot, the doctor might suggest surgery. But don't be scared! Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most common surgeries done worldwide.

What Happens During Surgery?
On the big day, you go to a special eye surgery center. They make sure you're comfortable, usually with local anaesthesia. Then, the surgeon makes a tiny cut in your eye to remove the cloudy lens. It's like clearing away the fog! After that, they put in a clear artificial lens, like a new window for your eye.

After Surgery Care
Once the surgery is done, you rest for a bit, and then you can go home. Your eye might feel a bit scratchy or itchy, but that's normal. You'll have to use some eye drops for a few weeks to help your eye heal properly. And remember, no rubbing your eyes!

Seeing Clearly Again
The best part? Your vision starts getting clearer almost right away! It might take a few days or weeks to fully adjust, but soon you'll notice colours are brighter, and things are sharper than before. In some cases, you might need new glasses because your old ones won't fit your new, improved vision! And in some cases, you may not need glasses at all.

Embracing a Brighter Future
With your clear vision back, you can do all the things you love without any trouble. Whether it's reading, driving, or just enjoying the view, life becomes brighter and more enjoyable after cataract surgery.
In the end, cataract surgery is like wiping away the fog from your glasses, allowing you to see the world in all its beauty once again. So, if you or someone you know has cataracts, don't worry! With the help of skilled doctors and modern technology, clearer vision is just a surgery away.

Written by:
Dr. Borja Salvador,
Consultant Ophthalmologist