Cataract Surgery


The cause of cataract is unclear and it is commonly associated with age.  Recent research has attributed sun damage to cataract development.  Therefore, is may be advisable to wear sunglasses.  Research has shown that diet, which is high in antioxidants such as beta-carotene (vitamin A), selenium and vitamins C and E, may slow down cataract development. 

As cataract develops and symptoms become more severe, surgery can be performed to remove the affected lens.  Cataract operations are one of the oldest recorded surgical procedures dating back to the Code of Hammurabi in 1750 B.C.  If cataract is left untreated, it can cause blindness.  This is not due to the cataract itself but through eye damage caused by the cataract for example, retinal detachment.  Cataract surgery is strongly advised in such severe circumstances, when the eye is deteriorating.  It may also be the best option if it interferes with the treatment of other eye problems, such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.  Cataract can develop rapidly in diabetics and at an early age, and surgery may be the best course of action although there is unlikely to be any permanent damage or consequence of not having the surgery completed promptly.

Today, cataract removal is a very common eye surgery procedure and is considered to be generally safe and effective.  There are two main types of surgery; Extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE), where the lens is removed through an incision made in the cornea or the sclera and phacoemulsification.  The latter, is the most common procedure and involves making an incision in the lens and then applying sound waves or ultrasonic vibrations to effectively shatter the lens so that it can be sucked away.  Once the lens has been removed it is replaced with an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL) which can be neither seen nor felt and is placed permanently in the eye.  At the pre-surgery examination, the eye surgeon will measure your eye to determine the power of the intraocular lens that will replace the eyes natural lens.  The IOL may be monofocal or a presbyopia-correcting multifocal intraocular lens.  This means that it can be designed to improve vision generally, as well as with removal of the clouded lens.   

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