If a patient is suffering from cataracts, the most effective treatment is to undergo surgery. This involves replacing the cloudy lens inside the eye with an artificial one. Cataract surgery is considered a safe procedure with a high success rate.
The Cons of Cataract Treatment
You might experience itching, discomfort, or pain during this process. Swelling and bleeding are also common side effects. It takes about eight weeks to heal from cataract surgery fully. Your eyes will need to adjust to the new lenses after surgery, which can cause discomfort.
For example, if you have advanced macular degeneration or a detached retina as well as cataracts, it's possible that removing the cataract and replacing it with a clear intraocular lens (IOL) might not improve your eyesight. In such cases, cataract surgery may not be recommended.
Its success rate is about 99 percent. Complications from cataract surgery are rare but may include corneal swelling and/or inflammation in the eyes.
Life Without Cataracts
Many patients who have cataract surgery are astounded at how much better their sight is after having their cataracts removed. While many age-related eye conditions can irreparably damage your vision, like glaucoma or macular degeneration, having cataract surgery will restore your clear vision.
Inflammation in the eye can happen after cataract surgery, but it is typically harmless. Any inflammation within the eye following cataract surgery is the body's natural response to having the eye's lens removed. This reaction causes blurry vision, but your eye doctor can prescribe medication to help.
Here are some things that you may want to avoid before and after cataract surgery to ensure that you heal properly. Avoiding eating and drinking before your surgery. Don't wear makeup to the surgery appointment, and avoid wearing makeup until your ophthalmologist allows it so that you can better prevent infection.
About 90% of people see better after cataract surgery, and this will continue to improve for several months. But don't expect your vision to be perfect. You may still need to wear glasses or contacts, especially for reading, up-close work and driving.
In most people, cataracts start developing around age 60, and the average age for cataract surgery in the United States is 73. However, changes in the lenses of our eyes start to affect us in our 40's.
When the eye's natural lens is replaced with an artificial lens, the fear of cataracts forming on the new lens is eliminated – in that sense, the results are permanent. Not only that, but the artificial lens is designed to last your entire life. That's what makes cataract surgery so effective.
Although it's never too late to have a cataract removed, it is better to have cataracts removed while they are immature, as this reduces the length of surgery and the recovery time. Earlier removal also means that you avoid the significant visual impairment associated with very mature (hypermature) cataracts.
What happens if cataracts are left untreated? Untreated cataracts will eventually block light from entering the eye and result in a loss of vision. Worldwide, they are the leading cause of blindness.
Most cataracts happen because of normal changes in your eyes as you get older. When you're young, the lens in your eye is clear. Around age 40, the proteins in the lens of your eye start to break down and clump together. This clump makes a cloudy area on your lens — known as a cataract.
This might all sound serious, but cataract surgery is the most commonly performed elective procedure in Australia, with the average age for surgery being just under 76 years¹, and 90% of cataract operations performed on those aged 60 years and over ².
While there is no guarantee that cataract surgery will give you 20/20 vision, with new advances in technology your chances are quite high. Schedule an appointment with your eye doctor to discuss the benefits of cataract surgery, and determine which type of IOL is right for you.
For the first few days after your surgery, it's normal to have blurred or double vision and watery/gritty eyes. Your eyes may also look red or bloodshot. These side effects will normally subside within a few days, but it can take four-six weeks for your eye to fully heal.
10. What happens if you blink during a cataract operation? An eye holder gently keeps the lid open during the procedure to prevent blinking. Although this may sound alarming, there is usually little to no sensation from the lid holder because the eye gets numbed before its use.
Anesthesia typically wears off after an hour or two, and you can go back home soon afterward.
It's estimated that around 80% of patients see colours during their cataract surgery. The most common colours are blue and red, although pink, yellow, green, purple, turquoise and orange have also been reported. Nearly all patients who see these colours during their cataract surgery say that it's a pleasant experience.
However, as we usually do the operation on one eye at a time, this means that your eyes will be out of balance with each other until after the operation on your second eye. This vision imbalance is called anisometropia.
What Happens if You Bend Over After Cataract Surgery? You should not bend over after cataract surgery for at least 2 weeks. Bending over will place pressure on the eye and this may cause unnecessary complications to your eye. The main complication will be a delay in the healing process.
If a cataract makes it difficult for you to carry out your normal activities, your doctor may suggest cataract surgery. When a cataract interferes with the treatment of another eye problem, cataract surgery may be recommended.
One of the best reasons for scheduling your cataract surgery for wintertime is so that your eyes will be healed and seeing clearly in time for all the natural beauty and outdoor activity that comes with warmer weather.