Cataract
A Cataract is opacity in lens or when your eye’s natural lens becomes cloudy, causing decrease in vision, things to look blurry, hazy or less colorful. It is one of the most important causes of blindness in Nepal as well as in the world. Cataract is known as Moti Bindu in Nepali and in Hindi it is called Motiyabind. It is the most common cause of blindness in Nepal.
Reason / Cause of Cataract
It is due to aging. As we experience graying of hair and other changes in body due to aging, in a similar fashion we experience gradual opacification of lenses. Other causes are injury to lens (traumatic cataract), diabetes (diabetic cataract), drugs (drug induced cataract) etc.
Sign and Symptoms of Cataract
Usually a patient has painless, progressive gradual loss of vision. Sometimes it is missed by a patient if he has cataract only in one eye. In these cases, it is usually recognized when he goes for an eye examination.
Cataract Services at SEC
Slit lamp evaluation of cataract, refraction to assess option of vision improvement by glasses, detailed evaluation of retina, lens power measurement, surgical option: Phaco with foldable lenses, Phaco with PMMA lenses, Phaco with toric lenses, Phaco with multifocal toric lenses, Phaco with foreign lenses.
Treatment
In the early stage vision can be improved by the prescription of glasses but when your prescription of glasses can’t clear your vision then effective treatment is cataract surgery. There are various surgical options available but comparing the different published studies phacoemulsification is the best cost-effective surgical option till now.
FAQ about Cataract
General
It is better to undergo cataract surgery while the cataracts are immature as the visual outcome is better and length of surgical duration is short along with early post-operative recovery. Earlier removal of cataract also avoids the significant visual impairment associated with mature cataracts. However, cataract surgery can be done successfully in mature cataract.
Various studies have reported more than 95 percent of patients have fully restored vision after cataract surgery.
There are various surgical options available but comparing the different published studies phacoemulsification is the best cost-effective surgical option till now.
Monofocal provides focus at only one distance whereas a multifocal IOL provides vision across varying distances.
Normally it can be done easily under topical anesthesia but some patients feel more comfortable with injection anesthesia.
Phacoemulsification surgery is a very safe surgery and can be performed under 10 minutes.
Prior to Surgery (Pre-operative)
If you are having visual disturbances due to cataract and vision is not improving with glasses then you can think of undergoing surgeries. Patients do not need to wait till the cataract matures.
With the advancement in technology of cataract surgery it is not advisable to wait till cataract becomes mature. It becomes technically difficult to perform phaco surgery in advanced cataract. Patient gets optimum visual outcome when phaco surgery is performed on immature cataract.
If you have hypertension, diabetes, respiratory problems, cardiac problems and heart problems then it is good to consult physician before cataract surgery.
You can continue your systemic medications but if you are on a blood thinner like aspirin then it should be stopped 5 days prior to surgery.
You can have a light meal before operation under local anaesthesia but if you are undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia then you are not allowed to eat and drink at least 8 hours prior to surgery.
You should avoid any make up on your face on the day of surgery.
After Surgery (Post-operative)
You can have your normal food 2 hours after the surgery.
You can lie down on your back after the surgery. You can lie down on the other side after the surgery, for example if you have undergone surgery on the left eye then you can lie down on the right side and if you have undergone surgery on the right eye then you can lie down on the left side.
Usually you have irritation and foreign body sensation after the surgery. It gradually disappears in one to two weeks.
You should come at one week and at one month after the surgery for eye check-up.
It is safe to have second eye surgery after one month but you can have surgery after 2 weeks as well.
You have to continue steroid eye drops on a tapering dose for six weeks.
You can take bath on the second day of surgery but avoid instilling dirty water in your eyes and avoid eye rubbing.
Yes, you can continue watching TV, mobiles etc. but you can have some discomfort while watching TV, mobiles etc.
You can go for morning walk from the next day but avoid having strenuous exercise. You can gradually increase the duration of your morning walk.
You can have final prescription of glasses after one month.
