What does a cataract surgery procedure involve?

Answer 1

First, an incision is made in the eye. These incisions used to be quite large (at least by today's standards). You may even know people who had surgery over thirty years ago who had to stay in bed for weeks with sandbags on their eyes in order to keep these large incisions closed. Today, however, the incision is often less than three millimeters wide. That's about twice the thickness of a standard door key. The incision is so small that a suture might not even be necessary for the eye to heal.

Once an incision is made in the eye, a clear gel (called a viscoelastic or viscosurgical device) is injected into the eye. This gel protects the cornea from the ultrasound energy and keeps the eye pressurized during surgery.

For many surgeons, the most challenging part of cataract surgery comes next: creating a small round opening in the membrane that holds the cataract in place. This membrane is called the capsular bag. As membranes go, this one is pretty thin: somewhere between five and fifteen millionths of a meter thick (that's about 0.0004 inches thick). Hard to imagine? Well, it's hard to see. Not only is it at the limits of what the human eye can discern, it's also transparent! Other things that are about this size include individual particles of fog, a large spec of household dust, or a small spec of pollen. Amazingly, most experienced cataract surgeons are able to successfully create a round continuous opening in this delicate, transparent membrane. Occasionally, the capsule does tear. If this happens, your surgery may take longer to complete but most people still do very well.

Once the opening in the capsule has been created, the cataract (or natural lens of the eye) is removed using an ultrasound probe. Essentially, the cataract is broken into small pieces (emulsified) and then removed (aspirated) from the eye. Once the natural lens is removed, the capsular bag is polished and some additional protective viscoelastic gel is placed in the eye.

Now that the cataract is gone, the eye is ready for placement of the intraocular lens (IOL). The IOL is most often folded, placed through the incision, and unfolded in the capsular bag - just where your old lens (the cataract) used to be. Occasionally the IOL will have to be placed in front of the capsular bag or iris. Sometimes it is even necessary to sew it in.

After the IOL is placed in the eye, the protective gel is removed, If necessary, a suture is placed at this point to seal the incision. "Sutureless," or "No Stitch" surgery has been a big selling point in the advertisements and marketing materials of many cataract surgeons. The obvious implication is that having a suture is somehow inferior to surgery without a suture. Although the majority of my cataract surgeries are done without the use of a suture, it is important to note that sometimes a suture is a good idea. Don't be drawn in by glitzy advertisements. What is important is that you get the best possible surgery for your eye. Not everyone is a good candidate for sutureless cataract surgery.

Once surgery is complete, the eye may be covered with a protective shield to be worn overnight. The entire process (from the time you enter the operating room until a shield is placed over the eye) is often less than an hour.

David Richardson, M.D.

Medical Director

San Gabriel Valley Eye Associates, Inc.

Website: http://www.sgveye.com/

Blog: http://www.about-eyes.com/

Cataract Audio CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/DavidDRichardsonMD

San Gabriel Office:

207 S. Santa Anita St., Suite P-25

San Gabriel, CA 91776

(626) 289-7856

Pasadena Office:

800 E. Colorado Blvd.

Suite 450

Pasadena, CA 91101

(626) 289-2223

Answer 2

It's eye surgery, to remove/replace a lens that's no longer transparent. For some people with cataracts, a stronger eyeglass prescription may be all that's needed. Keep up with regular eye appointments and talk with your doctor about how the cataracts affect your ability to work, read, and take part in other routine activities. When cataracts interfere with daily activities, surgery may be recommended to remove the clouded lens and replace it with a new, artificial one. Monica says it's probably the most satisfying operation for an eye doctor and patient. Cataract surgery has an overall success rate of about 98 percent. According to NEI, it's the most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with over 1.5 million cataract surgeries performed each year. Like any eye surgery, there are risks such as eye infection and swelling. "Cystoid macular edema is an uncommon complication of cataract surgery that causes swelling and blurry vision," says FDA's Berman. The most common complication is formation of a secondary opacification (known as posterior capsular opacification) behind the new lens implant, Berman says. "This is treated with a laser that creates an opening through which clear vision is regained." Just 10 years ago, cataract surgery required a hospital stay of several days. Now, the surgery can sometimes be done in less than 30 minutes on an outpatient basis. Guillot says his surgery took about 20 minutes and he went home that day. He had a cataract removed from one eye in June 2001, and had eye surgery on the second eye about three weeks later. His doctor broke up his cataracts with a high-frequency ultrasound. "I can see much better," Guillot says. "I can read the newspaper, watch TV, and I notice a big difference when I'm on the internet. Sometimes I don't even need my glasses." Advances in lens technology have improved cataract surgery over the last several years. "New lens materials, such as soft silicone, acrylic, and hydrogels, are more flexible and foldable," Berman says. "They permit surgery through smaller incisions and some appear to have lower rates of secondary opacification formation." And multifocal lens designs have been approved that provide both distance and near vision, so that reading glasses may not always be necessary. "Future advances might come," Berman says, "as a result of research on lens materials able to form a new lens within the eye itself.

Source: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/202_eyes.html
A surgical procedure on the eyes to remove a lens which has become diseased with a "cataract" and replace it with an artificial one.

Answer 3

The lens inside the eye is critical for crisp, clear vision. Without it we would need glasses as thick as Coke® bottle bottoms to see the world clearly. For most of our lives, the natural lens is flexible and clear - allowing us to see objects both in the distance and at near. Around the age of forty-five, however, the lens becomes rigid and is no longer able to change focus. This leads to the condition known as presbyopia. Although annoying, this condition is generally treatable with reading glasses or bifocals.

However, with time the lens in the eye hardens further resulting in blurred vision. Just as a piece of plexiglass exposed to sunlight will slowing turn grey, then yellow, then brown, so do our lenses lose clarity and change color. A discolored, or cloudy lens no longer allows all of the light through to the retina. When it blocks enough light to limit vision even with spectacles, the lens is generally considered to have become a cataract.

Sincerely,

David Richardson, M.D.

Medical Director

San Gabriel Valley Eye Associates, Inc.

San Gabriel Office:

207 S. Santa Anita St., Suite P-25

San Gabriel, CA 91776

(626) 289-7856

Pasadena Office:

800 E. Colorado Blvd.

Suite 450

Pasadena, CA 91101

(626) 289-2223

Resources:

http://www.sgveye.com/

http://www.about-eyes.com/

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/DavidDRichardsonMD http://cataracteyesurgery.co.uk/guides/cataract-development

Answer 4

David Richardson, M.D.

First, an incision is made in the eye. These incisions used to be quite large (at least by today's standards). You may even know people who had surgery over thirty years ago who had to stay in bed for weeks with sandbags on their eyes in order to keep these large incisions closed. Today, however, the incision is often less than three millimeters wide. That's about twice the thickness of a standard door key. The incision is so small that a suture might not even be necessary for the eye to heal.

Once an incision is made in the eye, a clear gel (called a viscoelastic or viscosurgical device) is injected into the eye. This gel protects the cornea from the ultrasound energy and keeps the eye pressurized during surgery.

For many surgeons, the most challenging part of cataract surgery comes next: creating a small round opening in the membrane that holds the cataract in place. This membrane is called the capsular bag. As membranes go, this one is pretty thin: somewhere between five and fifteen millionths of a meter thick (that's about 0.0004 inches thick). Hard to imagine? Well, it's hard to see. Not only is it at the limits of what the human eye can discern, it's also transparent! Other things that are about this size include individual particles of fog, a large spec of household dust, or a small spec of pollen. Amazingly, most experienced cataract surgeons are able to successfully create a round continuous opening in this delicate, transparent membrane. Occasionally, the capsule does tear. If this happens, your surgery may take longer to complete but most people still do very well.

Once the opening in the capsule has been created, the cataract (or natural lens of the eye) is removed using an ultrasound probe. Essentially, the cataract is broken into small pieces (emulsified) and then removed (aspirated) from the eye. Once the natural lens is removed, the capsular bag is polished and some additional protective viscoelastic gel is placed in the eye.

Now that the cataract is gone, the eye is ready for placement of the intraocular lens (IOL). The IOL is most often folded, placed through the incision, and unfolded in the capsular bag - just where your old lens (the cataract) used to be. Occasionally the IOL will have to be placed in front of the capsular bag or iris. Sometimes it is even necessary to sew it in.

After the IOL is placed in the eye, the protective gel is removed, If necessary, a suture is placed at this point to seal the incision. "Sutureless," or "No Stitch" surgery has been a big selling point in the advertisements and marketing materials of many cataract surgeons. The obvious implication is that having a suture is somehow inferior to surgery without a suture. Although the majority of my cataract surgeries are done without the use of a suture, it is important to note that sometimes a suture is a good idea. Don't be drawn in by glitzy advertisements. What is important is that you get the best possible surgery for your eye. Not everyone is a good candidate for sutureless cataract surgery.

Once surgery is complete, the eye may be covered with a protective shield to be worn overnight. The entire process (from the time you enter the operating room until a shield is placed over the eye) is often less than an hour.

David D. Richardson, M.D.

Medical Director

San Gabriel Valley Eye Associates, Inc.

Website: http://www.sgveye.com/

Blog: http://www.about-eyes.com/

Cataract Audio CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/DavidDRichardsonMD

San Gabriel Office:

207 S. Santa Anita St., Suite P-25

San Gabriel, CA 91776

(626) 289-7856

Pasadena Office:

800 E. Colorado Blvd.

Suite 450

Pasadena, CA 91101

(626) 289-2223

Answer 5

It is clouding of the fliud in the lens of the eye

Answer 6

An eye cataract is the clouding of the natural lens.

it CAN be genetic

Answer 7

If anyone suffering from Ratina Pigmant ( R.P. patients) which type of surgery are you suggest.

Answer 8

A cataract surgery procedure involves removing the natural lens of your eye due to developing a cataract. After the initial lens is removed an artificial lens is implanted into the eye.