eye disorders
Cataract
Treatment of Cataract
Eyeglasses and contact lenses to improve vision Surgery to remove the cataract and place an intraocular lens Until vision is significantly impaired by a cataract, Eyeglasses and The only treatment that provides a cure for cataracts is surgery. There are no eye drops or medications that will make cataracts go away. Cataract surgery can be done on a person of any age and is generally safe even for people with illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. In most cases, people should have surgery only when their vision is so impaired by cataracts that they feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or unable to perform daily tasks. There is no advantage to having cataracts removed before then. Very rarely, cataracts cause changes, such as inflammation in the eye or increased pressure in the eye ( Glaucoma ), that lead doctors to recommend the cataract be removed quickly. Surgery to remove cataracts is almost always done using a local anesthetic (an injection or eye drops) to numb the eye surface. People usually also receive a sedative. Rarely, children or adults who cannot hold still during surgery require general anesthesia. During surgery, the doctor usually makes a small incision in the eye and removes the cataract by breaking it up with ultrasound and taking the pieces out of the lens capsule (phacoemulsification). Sometimes doctors use a laser (called a femtosecond laser) during certain parts of cataract surgery, such as making incisions and entering and softening the cataract so that it is easier to remove with ultrasound. Where phacoemulsification is not available, doctors can simply remove the lens during surgery without the use of ultrasound. This technique is called conventional extracapsular cataract extraction. When all the cataract pieces have been removed, the surgeon usually places a plastic or silicone lens (intraocular lens) in the lens capsule. However, the intraocular lens cannot always be safely placed. When lens placement is not possible, people must wear thick eyeglasses or contact lenses after the cataract has been removed. The procedure normally takes about 30 minutes, and the person can go home the same day. No sutures are usually needed because the incision into the eye is small and seals itself. People should make arrangements in advance to get extra help at home for a few days after surgery because activity may be restricted (for example, bending over and heavy lifting may be prohibited). Vision changes, such as blurred vision and discomfort with bright light, may occur for a short time after surgery. For a few weeks after surgery, corticosteroid, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and antibiotic eye drops are used to reduce inflammation, prevent infection, and promote healing. Sometimes antibiotics, corticosteroids, and/or NSAIDs are injected into the eye at the end of surgery, a step that reduces the need for eyedrop use after surgery. People are given eyeglasses or a plastic shield to wear while sleeping to protect the eye from injury until healing is complete, usually a few weeks. Rubbing the eye, heavy lifting, and excessive forward bending are avoided. People visit the doctor the day after surgery and then typically about 1 week and 1 month later. If a person has cataracts in both eyes, many doctors wait several months after the first eye has healed to remove a cataract from the other eye. Many people notice improved distance vision within a few weeks after cataract surgery. Almost everyone will need eyeglasses for reading, and some people will need eyeglasses to obtain the best possible distance vision as well. Newer intraocular lenses with multiple focusing powers (multifocal lenses) may allow a person to have good near and distance vision without needing glasses, although some people may lose contrast and experience starbursts and halos at night with these lenses. The doctor makes calculations before the surgery to decide how powerful the artificial lens should be. Thus, it is possible to go from wearing very thick eyeglasses before the surgery to wearing much thinner eyeglasses after it. Some people with the newer multifocal lenses no longer need eyeglasses or need them for only certain things, such as driving at night, reading in dim light, or for midrange vision, such as viewing a computer monitor. Some other lenses can correct What Is Astigmatism? in the eye and that can also reduce the need for glasses after surgery. Major complications after cataract surgery are rare. Proper follow-up with the doctor can lead to early detection and treatment of complications. Complications include: A person may develop an infection ( Endophthalmitis ) or serious bleeding in the eye, which can lead to a loss of vision. Eye pressure may become too high, which if left untreated, may lead to Glaucoma , or displacement of the implant. The back of the eye (retina) can become swollen or Detachment of the Retina . Rarely, people with retinal disorders, such as Diabetic Retinopathy , may notice their vision worsen after the operation. In some people, the thin, transparent back layer (capsule) deliberately left behind in the eye after the original lens was removed becomes clouded, impairing vision. This problem, called a secondary cataract (or posterior capsule opacification), occurs in about 1 in 4 people who have had cataract surgery, months or even years after an artificial lens is implanted. Typically, it is treated by using a laser to make a small opening in the hazy capsule to let light through. 