ALL ABOUT CATARACT SURGERY

For the phacoemulsification technique, your surgeon makes a tiny incision (2- to 3-mm) in the front of your eye (cornea) and inserts a thin probe where the cataract has formed.

This technique uses rapidly vibrating ultrasound waves to emulsify and break up the cataract. Then, your surgeon will suction out the fragments.

The back of your lens (the lens capsule) is left intact to serve as an outer housing for the artificial lens to rest. After removing the emulsified debris, your surgeon inserts the foldable IOL through the incision into the space within the capsule.

Finally, stitches may be used to close the tiny incision in your cornea to complete the procedure.

Phacoemulsification is one of the safest and most precise surgical techniques of modern ophthalmology.

Multifocal lenses or accommodating lenses allow the eye to focus on both near and distant objects. These lenses work the same as glasses with bifocal or progressive lenses.

The lens has different focusing strengths in different areas, adjusting for near, medium, and far vision. Hence, you will be less dependent on glasses and have a better quality of life.

In general, patients who choose multifocal lenses instead of monofocal lenses express greater satisfaction.

However, this type of lenses can cause halos and starbursts in some patients’ vision. Though most people can adapt, some find it very difficult, so you may want to discuss this with your doctor.

Also, multifocal lenses have a higher cost. Therefore, the patient should consider all the factors when making the final decision.

Conversely, if your doctor uses a monofocal intraocular lens, you will probably need glasses.

The monofocal lens only has a single focus strength for distance vision. This means the lens will be fixed for either near or distance vision, but not both.

Often, patients choose to set them for distance vision and use reading glasses for near vision.

There is another option called “accommodating-focus monofocal.” Although these lenses have a single focus strength, they can respond to eye muscle movements and shift focus to near or distant objects.

However, after the procedure, many patients may need to wear glasses for minor tasks like reading. This could happen regardless of the type of lens they have fitted!

Your vision will improve significantly, but it may not be perfect.

Your doctor will let you know when your eyesight has healed enough for you to get a new prescription for eyeglasses. This will be between one and three months after surgery (preferably six weeks after the procedure).

Immediately after the operation, you will probably feel a little groggy if you receive a mild sedative in addition to the local anaesthetic.

The doctor will put a protective eye patch in place on the day of surgery. You may need to use it for a few days, including a protective mask when you sleep.

You will stay in observation for a few hours. Then, a specialist will tell you how to take care of your eye at home and prescribe some medication to reduce inflammation and control eye pressure.

They will probably prescribe a gentle treatment for dryness in the eye so that you feel as comfortable as possible and improve your vision.

After cataract surgery, your vision will improve within a few days. Colors may seem brighter after your surgery and may present with light sensitivity.

Blurriness is normal shortly after cataract surgery.

This will improve as the eye heals and adjusts in a matter of days, but it may take longer in some cases. However, vision will not reach its optimum state until 2-4 months afterward.

In a few days, most of the discomfort should disappear. Complete healing occurs after eight weeks.

Additionally, double vision is not uncommon after cataract surgery and can have many causes. More often than not is a result of your brain getting used to its new visual acuity. It will improve in a few days after surgery, so don’t worry.