EYE DISORDERS: CATARACTS
A cataract is a condition in which the lens of the eye becomes opaque, which means vision is impaired because light cannot pass through. Many older people develop cataracts, and the exact cause is not clear. In the early stages there may be some haziness and decrease in vision but you may still be able to see adequately. An ophthalmologist will usually recommend removal of a cataract only when the vision in both eyes becomes greatly impaired. He will remove the cataract from one eye first, and if this goes well, he may or may not operate on the second eye some months later. Not everyone requires binocular (two-eyed) vision, and for some a surgical procedure to restore vision in one eye is sufficient.
Cataract Surgery The type of anesthetic used for cataract surgery depends on the surgical technique and your ability to cooperate during surgery if a local anesthetic is used. In some situations a local anesthetic is preferred, whereas in others a general anesthetic may be safer. The decision is made by the physician, surgeon, and anesthetist before surgery. A local anesthetic reduces the likelihood of anesthetic complications and decreases your period of convalescence.
After surgery, you will need to wear glasses or contact lenses, or a lens may be implanted in your eye during surgery. In the past, most people wore glasses after a cataract removal. There are disadvantages: you will have a narrow range of vision with glasses, and if you misplace or lose your glasses, your vision will be poor. Without your glasses, you will be unable to distinguish details and will see only light and movement.
Contact lenses avoid some of these problems, but they are often difficult to insert as you grow older, particularly if you have arthritis or a shaking of the hands. If they can be used, they are very effective and, in some people, they are preferable to glasses.
The newer technique of lens implant has many advantages over glasses and contact lenses. The lens usually can be implanted with relatively few complications. Vision improves enormously and often is very close to normal. And you will see well immediately after surgery. Present techniques assure a high likelihood of success with a lens implant. There is no upper age limit to the possibility of a positive outcome from cataract surgery.
What Are the Dangers of Cataract Surgery? Your eye doctor will try to determine whether your vision will improve with cataract surgery. Unfortunately, the retina may be so damaged that surgery cannot improve your vision. Although this happens rarely, it can be very upsetting if you have placed much hope on the surgery.
After surgery, infection, bleeding, retinal detachment, or a blockage of a blood vessel to the eye can occur. These complications cannot be predicted, and rarely can they be prevented. However, they are quite unusual, and vision can usually be restored despite complications.
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