Five Secret Things You Didn t Know About Cataract Treatments

Cataracts, or perhaps the normal age-related clouding of the human lens, still remains the most typical (curable) cause of blindness in third world countries today. Treating cataracts has been described within the most ancient manuscripts and scriptures of every recorded culture over the very last several thousand years. Today, it's commonplace for patients to leave the surgery center and go out to lunch or dinner on the exact same day as their cataract surgery!

You'll find five advances which have allowed cataract surgeons and patients to enjoy such great success:

First was the development and widespread utilization of the operating microscope, that enables a magnified view of the eye through the procedure. Just before this, surgeons used either their naked eye or magnifying glasses.

Second, was the development of microsurgical sutures, that are 1/3 the thickness of a human hair! Even though we typically don't use sutures for many cataract procedures today, ten years ago, these small sutures allowed for a lot more comfortable postoperative healing period.

Third, was the discovery of a jelly substance called viscoelastic. This clear, removable material comes from two unusual sources: the fin of shark as well as the neck of a rooster! These materials are extremely well tolerated through the eye, quickly removed, transparent, and allows the eye to maintain its round shape during surgery, serving to protect the delicate tissues within the eye.

Fourth, was the fascinating discovery by an English ophthalmologist, Dr. Harold Ridley, of a lens material which is permanently implanted within the eye and causes no inflammation for the remainder of the patients lifetime. This plastic material, Dr. Ridley noted, was embedded within the eyes of pilots shot down on their bombing missions within the first world war. The material called polymethyl methacrolate was used to make the bubble window canopy, which the pilots pulled over their heads within their spitfire planes. Dr. Ridley noted that pieces of this material embedded within the patent's eye was well tolerated, and did not cause any sort of rejection. Even today, while other materials remain used, polymethyl methacrolate is still the defacto standard, now enjoying fifty years of expertise, and allows patients to require a very thin prescription for glasses following their cataract procedure. Ahead of the routine utilization of this lens, patients who had no lens replaced in their eye following cataract surgery required the usage of very thick glasses, which distorted their vision and cut down significantly on their peripheral (side) field of view.

Lastly, perhaps the most critical piece of technical equipment is the ultrasound machine, called phacoemulsification, which allows the surgeon to sculpt the cataract into small fragments, which are then conveniently and gently vacuumed from the eye using an extremely small hand piece. This permits for a lot smaller surgical incision, eliminating the requirement for wound sutures in most cases, and provides a very rapid as well as secure postoperative recovery and visual rehabilitation.

Modern-day cataract surgery enjoys the highest amount of safety ever known before. With exquisitely precise instruments used to measure the eye before surgery, we are able to calculate the specific power of the new lens implant, which is gently placed in to the eye following removal of the cataract, often allowing patients the freedom of useful vision without glasses for both distance and near activities.

Choose your eye doctor wisely. Many patients already have an appropriate relationship established by having an optometrist who will work closely with the surgeon, co-managing the patient's postoperative care. There's no reason to abandon the special relationship and bond between the person and his or her optometrist, but rather utilize the services of the surgeon to perform the cataract operation, and then return to the established optometric practice which has provided the amount of care and quality that the client has been used to for a long time. If a patient doesn't have his or her own eye doctor, then postoperative care shall surely be provided by the surgeon and his or her associates. Make sure that your eye doctor is experienced, and adheres to the highest of ethical standards. Routinely, discussing the experiences of others, for example loved ones or friends, can lead you to finding the physician /patient relationship which is perfect for you.