Cataract Operation or Laser Eye Treatment? Which is the Best Selection?
Cataract is an eye condition that occurs when the natural or crystalline lens inside the eyes becomes cloudy. This is mostly due to UV light or sun exposure and is a long term outcome. The more UV light, the more exposure an individual has which is why it commonly begins later in life. You can also experience cataracts at birth (congenital cataract) and they can also start from injuries to the eye. Selected medications, such as steroids, can also induce cataracts with prolonged use.
If you have cataracts, your ophthalmologist will take this into account when assessing whether laser eye treatment is suitable for you.
When you look at an object, light from that thing goes through the front of your eye (cornea), through the lens and onto the back of the eye (retina). The structures where the light passes through are crystalline and so, if focused appropriately, a clear image is formed on the back of the eye.
Cataract causes the lens to turn opaque so the light that passes through it becomes garbled, resulting in a blurry picture on the retina. As the cataract is inside the eye, this is a predicament which cannot be fixed with spectacles or contact lenses.
Standard laser eye treatments such as lasik or PRK would also not resolve this dilemma as they are concerned with reshaping the front surface of the eye. The cataract is still in the way so the figure formed on the retina would still be hazy.
To acquire clear vision, the opaque lens inside the eye should be removed. This is a two-part process.
Removing the Lens
The standard mode of lens extraction is by phacoemulsification. Inserted into the eye via a little incision on the cornea is a handheld tool with an ultrasonic vibrating head. The crystalline lens within the eye is broken up with the high frequency vibration produced by the edge. As little pieces are suctioned out, there will be a space left wherein an artificial lens will be implanted.
Inserting the Intraocular Lens
The operation of replacing the natural crystalline lens with artificial lens is called intraocular lens or IOL. Through a modest incision in the cornea, the IOL is inserted into the eye, rolled-up. Once inside the eye, the intraocular lens is unrolled, positioned behind the iris where the natural crystalline lens used to be. The prescription of the IOL is designed to right vision so you don't need glasses after cataract procedure.
This process is done under local anaesthetic and stitches are commonly not necessary afterwards as the incisions made are really minuscule. Because the eye heals naturally, even overnight stays at the hospital or clinic is not necessary.
Cataract surgery (also known as lens replacement) is becoming a popular suggestion of correcting sight surgically, especially for older patients as the artificial lens placed within the eye can be of any Rx.
If you have cataracts, your ophthalmologist will take this into account when assessing whether laser eye treatment is suitable for you.
When you look at an object, light from that thing goes through the front of your eye (cornea), through the lens and onto the back of the eye (retina). The structures where the light passes through are crystalline and so, if focused appropriately, a clear image is formed on the back of the eye.
Cataract causes the lens to turn opaque so the light that passes through it becomes garbled, resulting in a blurry picture on the retina. As the cataract is inside the eye, this is a predicament which cannot be fixed with spectacles or contact lenses.
Standard laser eye treatments such as lasik or PRK would also not resolve this dilemma as they are concerned with reshaping the front surface of the eye. The cataract is still in the way so the figure formed on the retina would still be hazy.
To acquire clear vision, the opaque lens inside the eye should be removed. This is a two-part process.
Removing the Lens
The standard mode of lens extraction is by phacoemulsification. Inserted into the eye via a little incision on the cornea is a handheld tool with an ultrasonic vibrating head. The crystalline lens within the eye is broken up with the high frequency vibration produced by the edge. As little pieces are suctioned out, there will be a space left wherein an artificial lens will be implanted.
Inserting the Intraocular Lens
The operation of replacing the natural crystalline lens with artificial lens is called intraocular lens or IOL. Through a modest incision in the cornea, the IOL is inserted into the eye, rolled-up. Once inside the eye, the intraocular lens is unrolled, positioned behind the iris where the natural crystalline lens used to be. The prescription of the IOL is designed to right vision so you don't need glasses after cataract procedure.
This process is done under local anaesthetic and stitches are commonly not necessary afterwards as the incisions made are really minuscule. Because the eye heals naturally, even overnight stays at the hospital or clinic is not necessary.
Cataract surgery (also known as lens replacement) is becoming a popular suggestion of correcting sight surgically, especially for older patients as the artificial lens placed within the eye can be of any Rx.