Cataract surgery

Cataracts develop generally as part of the ageing process—a ’cloud’ forms in the lens of the eye, causing blurry or double vision and increased sensitivity to light.

Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly-performed procedures around the world today where a surgeon makes an incision, removes the defective lens and then replaces it with a new intraocular lens (IOL) to restore vision.

There are currently a number of IOLs available, including multifocal options. Your doctor will advise you of the best option for you depending on your individual requirements and lifestyle.

Laser Cataract Surgery

Femtosecond laser technology has been used by LASIK eye surgeons for over 10 years to correct refractive vision problems. Now, bladeless laser cataract surgery can offer cataract patients the same precision and safety of laser technology.

This new femtosecond laser procedure replaces the initial key steps of cataract surgery that were previously performed using a blade. Using the femtosecond laser offers a range of benefits over standard cataract treatment, including:

• The procedure is less dependent on surgical skill and provides a more accurate incision and greater consistency.
• The laser cuts the required circles with 12 times more precision than those produced by traditional surgical methods.
• Reduced stress on the tissue of the eye by using laser technology to replace the traditional blade. This makes the incision cleaner which in turn improves healing.
• The edges in the remaining capsule, which serves as a pocket for the plastic IOL, are left twice as strong as with conventional techniques.
• Better healing comfort, e.g. any incisions to reduce astigmatism are made within the cornea so there are no open cuts on the surface of the eye.
• Greater predictability of the outcome due to the accuracy of the laser.
• Faster procedure time.
• Maximises the IOL.
• Optimises the visual performance of the IOL.

The Procedure

• A beam passes through the outer tissue without the eye needing to be open.
• A hole is cut in the capsule and the cataract is sliced up in the laser treatment room then may move into another operating theatre.
• The lens is accurately sliced up by the laser.
• The lens is removed by suction via the incision, Phacoemulsification.
• The replacement Intraocular Lens (IOL) is inserted into the pocket.
• In some cases to lessen astigmatism, incisions are made within the cornea, i.e. no open cut on the surface of the eye.
• As the incision is so clean it will rarely require stitches.

After the Procedure

• You will be able to go home a few hours after the procedure with an eye shield to protect your eye.
• You should rest for 24 hours, with no straining or heavy lifting for two weeks.
• Within 24 hours of the procedure, you will have a follow-up appointment with your surgeon.
• The day after operation you will be able to see reasonably well, with some distortion. Over the next week, your vision will significantly improve with full vision returning over a two to four week period.
• You must not rub your eyes for at least two weeks after the procedure and will be advised to wear your eye shield at night for a week or two to stop you doing this accidentally in your sleep.
• Your eye may appear red or discoloured, similar to a bloodshot eye, however, this will disappear over the next two weeks as it heals.
• You will need to use eye drops for up to four weeks after the procedure to reduce the possibility of infection and to assist any dry eye symptoms.

Cataract Surgery

Around half of Australians between the ages of 65 and 74 have cataracts. And in this day and age, cataract surgery is the safest and best way to treat cataracts. All around the world, people suffering from cataracts get surgery to treat their condition and end up leaving with better eyesight. At PersonalEYES, we offer cataract surgery to patients all over NSW, from Canberra all the way to Parramatta....

For cataract surgery Sydney and other locations in Australia, PersonalEYES is the best place to go.

Cortical

These are also called peripheral cataracts, as the cloudy-ness develops around the edges of your eye’s natural lens. Depending on the location of the cataract, the effects can be different. The most common symptom of cortical cataracts is developing glare when you look at bright lights. However, this condition may also lead to blurred vision or vision loss if not treated with cataract eye surgery or other treatment methods.

Nuclear Sclerosis

This is a hard cataract that progresses slowly. Over time, nuclear sclerosis causes your eye’s lens to turn yellow, which greatly affects your vision. Nuclear sclerosis is known to impair long-sighted vision more than near-sighted vision. In some cases, patients develop nearsightedness and may need to start reading with eyeglasses.

Congenital Cataract

Congenital cataracts occur at birth and occur in around 1 out of every 2,000 births. Sometimes, these cataracts have no effect on a person’s vision at all. However, if the clouding of the lens starts to affect a person’s vision, then cataract surgery is needed to remove it. Experts are still unsure as to what causes this, as over a 1/3 of the people born with congenital cataracts have the condition because of unknown causes. However, a large chunk of people with congenital cataracts inherit it or have another syndrome associated with it.

Secondary Cataract

When doctors perform cataract surgery, they remove the inner lens of the eye to clear up cloudy vision. This leaves the outer lens intact to hold the artificial clear lens that they put inside. The outer portion of the lens is also called the lens capsule, and sometimes, the lens capsule can develop a cataract. When this happens, doctors refer to it as a secondary cataract. Secondary cataracts can occur a couple of months to a year after the initial surgery, even when the patient has undergone complete healing.

Secondary cataracts typically occur in both eyes and are corrected with laser eye surgery.

Traumatic Cataract

Traumatic cataracts occur due to an external factor. This can be an injury, radiation, electrocution, exposure to chemicals, or diseases such as diabetes. Traumatic cataracts can cause severe vision problems as it affects your natural eye lens. A traumatic cataract can occur right after an injury or slowly develop over the course of many years.

Posterior Subcapsular

These types of cataracts begin at the very back of the lens. Posterior subcapsular cataracts usually occur in younger patients and can cause blurred vision, glare, and near vision. Posterior cataracts can occur due to age, but it isn’t uncommon for them to develop because of trauma.

Benefits of Laser Cataract Surgery

So, why choose laser cataract surgery? Whether it’s your first or second surgery for your eyes, laser cataract surgery can be a great choice. It still follows the same principle as standard cataract surgery, where an intraocular lens implant is placed in your eye after the cataract is removed. However, the difference is that doctors use a laser to make the incision before putting in the artificial lens.

Here are some of the befits you can reap by choosing laser eye surgery;

• Since doctors use a laser, this procedure is more precise and less reliant on surgical skill, making it safer and more consistent
• Lasers make incisions up to 12 times more accurately than scalpels
• Reduced stress on your eye allows for a smoother healing process
• The edges in the capsule which hold the IOL are left much stronger
• Allows the IOL to perform better