A few years ago, my dear maternal grandmother visited an optometrist. After thoroughly examining my grandmother’s eyes, this medical professional informed her that she had cataracts in both of them. Concerned, my grandmother immediately made an appointment with a surgeon. The two surgeries to remove the cataracts from my grandmother’s eyes were successful. Scheduling annual eye exams is crucial. During these appointments, your optometrist will check for potentially harmful conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachment, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. On this blog, I hope you will discover the most important reasons you should visit your eye doctor every year. Enjoy!
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The Different Types Of Cataract Surgery
Stella Harvey
When cataracts occur, the usually clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy. This happens when the lens of the eye becomes thicker and less transparent and light is no longer able to pass through the lens properly. Cataracts normally occur due to aging but can also develop due to an injury or other medical condition that does damage to the lens of the eye. Depending on the severity of cataracts, the patient may be able to get stronger glasses to improve the vision for a while, but eventually, the only treatment for cataracts is surgery. The cloudy damaged lens of the eye must be replaced with a clear artificial lens. These are the different types of surgery that are done to treat cataracts.
Laser Cataract Surgery
In this procedure, a laser is used to break the cloudy lens up into tiny pieces that are then removed. An artificial lens is put in to replace the damaged lens. This surgery is also ideal for those who have a curve in the cornea. The laser can be used to reshape the cornea while cataract surgery is being performed. Laser cataract surgery is one of the most popular because healing time is relatively fast.
Phacoemulsification
This type of surgery is often referred to as small incision surgery. During this procedure, a small slit is cut in the cornea and then the cloudy lens is destroyed with ultrasound waves. A small instrument that puts off these waves is inserted into the slit so that the lens is shattered into small pieces. Once the pieces are taken out, an artificial lens is placed into the eye and the slit in the cornea is repaired. This surgery requires a rather short healing period as well.
Extracapsular Cataract Extraction
This cataract surgery is normally used for those patients who have larger cataracts that cause more severe vision problems. This surgery is done by removing the cloudy lens all in one piece and then replacing it with a new artificial lens. Because a larger incision is made, it may take a bit longer to heal from this procedure.
Most patients who have cataract surgery notice a great improvement in their vision after they have completely healed. It is even possible to have 20/20 vision once again provided the patient does not have other severe eye conditions as well. The time it takes to heal from surgery depends on which procedure is performed. Normally, patients are fully recovered within a few weeks.
For more information, contact a company like Sabates Eye Centers.
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