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12/08/2024
Cataract surgery involves extracting the content of the opacified crystalline lens using ultrasounds and replacing it with a custom-made intraocular lens (IOL).
With regard to incipient cataracts, palliative measures can be taken such as the use of sunglasses to avoid glare or prescription glasses if you've experienced a change in refraction. But the definitive treatment for cataracts is still surgery.
Cataracts may appear at any age. They may even be congenital, although in general, cataracts generally appear during old age. As soon as the patient starts to notice a loss of visual acuity and is no longer comfortable, cataract surgery can be proposed and performed.
This surgical procedure is performed in a surgical theatre, with local anaesthesia. A small incision is made in the axis where the patient shows most astigmatism, and the surgeon works on the inside of the eye through this small incision.
First, the surgeon opens the anterior capsule of the crystalline lens and uses an instrument called a phacoemulsifier, a small metal probe, which in turn sends liquid to the eye, to break the crystalline lens into small fragments.
This phacoemulsifier uses ultrasound energy which also produces heat and breaks the crystalline lens into small fragments that are then aspirated.
Therefore, it is possible to perform the operation with a small incision and not have to make a large incision as was done in the past and required surgical sutures. This small incision will not require surgical sutures.
Once the whole crystalline sac has been cleaned and is transparent, the intraocular lens is implanted. With this intraocular lens, the power of which is calculated before hand, we can already correct the patient's vision.
We are currently using foldable intraocular lenses. There are different types:
Cataract surgery is generally performed on one eye first, and after a few days, the other eye is operated on.
It is a painless procedure, due to the anaesthetic. It is also a short operation, it lasts approximately 10-15 minutes.
The patient goes home immediately after the procedure and they can remove the bandage from their eye the following day and start antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment for a few weeks.
In general, the patient can go about their normal life after a few days, avoiding trauma to the eyes, contact with water and substances that may cause eye inflammation or irritation.
The prognosis of cataract surgery is good, recovery is fast and the ongoing developments in this procedure have made it one of the most successful operations.