When A Cataract Extraction Can Safely Take Place

Cataract extraction is a surgical operation which is performed millions of times during a year, as cataracts affect an incredibly high percentage of the elderly population. It is not just the elderly who suffer from cataracts, as there are special circumstances which can affect younger people, including children. The operation has been greatly enhanced in recent years, and is continuing to develop still further as new techniques are developed, although success rates remain high even in cases where the older technology has to be used.

It is usually possible to tell that cataract operation will be needed long before the time when it actually happens. A patient will often notice that they are being affected by glare and strong light more than they were before, and this can often be the first sign of a developing cataract. In other cases a suspicious sign will be noticed during a routine medical check up, which can also show up other issues which need to be looked at. Some groups, such as those who take steroid drugs, have a high risk of developing cataracts, and need to be examined by an eye doctor more regularly than is usual.

Even when the early diagnosis of cataract is accurately made there is no provision for operating early or for curing the condition without operation. A patient is free to follow natural methods such as dietary reform, detoxification and physical exercise, but the effect of these cannot be guaranteed. If the cataract is unaffected, they may just improve the overall condition of the patient and make the operation easier to manage. In any case, cataract operations are carried out using small incisions and local anesthetic, and so are easier for the body to cope with than most other forms of surgery.

A cataract extraction can only take place when there is a clearly formed hardened opacity within the lens of the eye itself. Once this has reached a level where the operation is possible, it will usually be carried out using phacoemulsification techniques which are relatively new. These techniques have improved upon a surgical method which was already relatively safe and which had a very high success rate. The techniques are now the standard in most Western countries, but they have not yet spread to the rest of the world due to the increased operating cost.

Because the modern methods of cataract extraction are relatively fast and easy, the patient is usually able to return to their normal life relatively quickly. They will in any case be released from the hospital on the day of the operation, unless there are completely unexpected complications. The eye may experience soreness for a short time and need to be rested regularly, and no physical exertions should be performed which put excessive pressure on eye muscles. The synthetic lenses which are placed into the eye may need getting used to, especially if they are the cheap lenses which offer no accommodation.

The traditional method of carrying out the cataract removal operation is still widely used throughout most countries of the world, and it too has a high success rate with few complications. It needs a slightly longer recovery period than the phacoemulsification operation, but the end result is likely to be the same. It is still to be hoped that phacoemulsification spreads throughout the world, as it does represent a step up from the older technique and can be performed even on people of frail constitution. It is also to be hoped that there is a trend towards accommodating lenses being used in the implant which follows a successful cataract extraction.