Some Aspects Of Cataract Surgery San Antonio Patients Need To Understand

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By John Sanders


Cataract is one of the major causes of blindness all over the world. It may be seen in newborns or in old age. When seen at birth, it is usually a consequence of drug or physical trauma to the baby during pregnancy. When seen in the elderly, on the other hand, it is considered a normal senile change. Surgery is used to remove the opacity and improve vision. If planning to have cataract surgery San Antonio residents need to understand a number of things.

The severity of visual impairment due to cataract varies from one person to another. One or both eyes may be affected. The natural history of this condition is a gradual onset of cloudiness of vision that progress slowly over some years (in the case of adults). The role of surgery is to get rid of the opacity in the lens. The natural lens may be returned to its position or replaced with an artificial one.

Replacement with artificial lenses is the more commonly performed procedure. This is because vision is better than when the natural lens is returned. The technique employed here is known as phacoemulsification (incision cataract surgery). It involves the creation of a small surgical cut on the cornea and lens to access the hardened center. Next, the substance is liquefied and suctioned from the lens under a vacuum.

Proper preparation should be done before you undergo the operation. One of the most important steps is an ophthalmic examination that is aimed at confirming the diagnosis and its severity. The doctor will assess your suitability as a candidate at this time and share the same with you. Underlying conditions such as high intraocular pressure and infections may increase the risk of complications and should be managed first.

It is possible to have the operation safely in an outpatient department of a hospital or even a well-equipped private office. This is mainly because, general anesthesia is rarely a requirement. Local anesthesia administered as eye drops or as an injection into the eyelids is enough to take care of any pain. The exercise will take between 30 minutes to an hour unless complications are encountered.

Increased use of laser techniques has significantly improved the outcomes. Compared to the use of a surgical knife, the incisions made with the laser beam are more precise and less likely to result in complications. Apart from making surgical incisions, laser is also used in the liquefaction process, replacing the traditional ultrasound-based technique. Overall, recovery is faster when laser is used than when the surgical blade is used.

Improvements are almost immediate with most patients reporting a huge difference within a few days. Some of the benefits include improvements in visual acuity, better color perception and the ability to look directly at bright objects. Maximal benefits will, however, require a couple of weeks to be realized. When a new artificial lens is fixed, one will also need to have glasses so that they can have both near and far vision.

There are very few complications as long as no underlying conditions exist. Those that may be encountered include bleeding and eye infections after the operation. Fortunately, these can be managed fairly easily. In the long term, patients may suffer from a condition known as posterior capsule opacification, PCO. It results from the re-accumulation of the cloudy substance. It corrected using laser surgery.




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