- January 22, 2025
The treatment of cataracts is only possible with the use of appropriate drugs if the progress of the disease is very slow. You can't undo the changes in your eyes with medication, but you can slow them down.
When the level of visual impairment is so high that it interferes with normal life, it is necessary to undertake the only effective treatment that removes the problem itself, i.e. surgical treatment consisting in removing the cloudy lens of the eye and inserting an implant in its place. Qualification for the procedure is carried out by a doctor.
1. qualification
The decision to undertake surgical treatment in the vast majority of cases belongs to the patient himself, although, of course, he is consulted with the attending doctor, who presents all indications. It is influenced by the patient's way of life, his professional activity and, above all, his general state of health. It has an impact on the prognosis and potential risk of surgery. The doctor conducts a thorough interview and examines the power of the lens that would need to be implanted. There are two exceptions to this situation.
When a cataract is swelling or oversized, the removal of the lens is necessary. In the first case, its volume increases, which causes pressure on the eyeball and pressure increase inside it, and the second case leads to inflammation of the eyeballs, which in addition to annoyance, can lead to numerous and dangerous complications. In the case of congenital cataract, laser treatment is unlikely to be used, although it is also of limited use in the correction of other procedures. Laser trimming of the back of the lens is an outpatient procedure, after which you can return home immediately, but for a certain period of time you should take medication, watch out for yourself and limit your life activity, especially driving.
Cataract removal process
The basic method of removing the cloudy lens in order to make room for the implant is an extra-bag approach. In this process, the front parts of the lens shall be removed and the rear part of the bag shall be left in place. Phacoemulsification, modified extra bag removal, leads to the removal of ultrasound-shredded lens food only. The most radical procedure, intracorporeal removal, removes the entire lens and its bag.
3. types of intraocular implants
In cataract surgery, the lenses used are mainly front ventricular and posterior ventricular lenses. Regardless of the type, the implant consists of an optical and stabilizing part. The difference between the types of lenses lies in the place of implantation. The first one hits in front of the iris, the second one behind it. The use of anterior ventricularly implanted lenses is avoided as it is associated with a higher risk of complications. The method shall be regarded only as an emergency or recommended in special cases.
Hard or plastic implants are available. The latter have the advantage that they are soft and can therefore be implanted through a much smaller incision. It is assumed that after a successful procedure a refraction of -1D will be achieved, which allows the patient to perform most of the activities without glasses. What matters here is whether one or both eyes are operated on.
A typical lens implantation procedure is performed under ambulatory conditions under local anesthesia. The patient is released home after 2-3 hours, but must report the next day for inspection and refrain for a few days from any more serious physical or sporting activities.
