Cataract Clinic

What is Cataract?

Cataract is an opacity in the lens of the eye. The normal lens is transparent and allows light to reach the retina. When it becomes opaque (Cataract) light does not reach the retina and the patient is unable to see clearly.

Why does Cataract form?

Cataract is the most common cause of blindness in our country. The causes o formation of cataract are not fully known.

  • It is an aging problem.
  • Ultraviolet light exposure.
  • Deficiency of protein and vitamins.

Apart from cataract in old age (senile cataract) cataract can also occur in children (congenital cataract) or Adolescents (Developmental cataract). Injuries can produce cataracts in all age groups. Patients with Diabetes mellitus develop cataracts earlier than a normal person.

Symptoms

  • Blurring of image in bright light.
  • Double images.
  • Image distortion.
  • Unequal vision in eyes.

Treatment of Cataract

Till today there is no drug, which has been proved to cure cataract. The only treatment available is surgery i.e., removal of cataract.

When does cataract require removal?

Apart from the mature cataracts, even immature cataracts need to be removed if it hampers with the patients visual requirements. There is no necessity to wait for the cataract to ripen as in earlier times.

At Rajan Eye Care Hospital we are performing the latest techniques for cataract removal. We remove the cataract through a small incision by an ultrasonic aspiration technique called Phacoemulsification. Almost all the patients are implanted with intraocular lenses. The success rate after surgery is close to 99.5%.

Evolution of Cataract Surgery

Phacoemulsification

Small incision cataract surgery

Continuting the trend of Smaller is Better, Minimally invasive surgeries like cardiac and Gastro-enterology surgery, the cataract surgery has also moved from large incision (12mm) to smaller incision (6mm) to even smaller incision (3mm). And then to micro incision.

The present options in phaco surgeries are:

1.Standard Phaco

First Generation Phaco surgery done using simpler machines, the incision size is 3.2 mm. This type of surgery was first conducted in late 70’s. The surgery was done using injection to give local anesthesia.

2.Cold Phoco

The second generation phaco surgery, the normal incision size is 2.8mm but it is much safer since the amount of heat being delivered to the eye gets reduced significantly thus reducing the trauma. The walk-in, walk-out surgery thus resulted without using injection and patch.

Now-Asia’s First Microincisional (Mini-Keyhole) Cataract Surgery

Bausch & Lomb introduces a revolutionary technology for doing. 1.6mm to 1.8mm Micro incision cataract surgery. The stellaris MICS platform enables surgeon to do a microincision (1.6 – 1.8mm) cataract surgery that is not possible with any other system.

The Stellaris MICS platform consists

  • STELLARIS, Vision Enhancement System that performs stellaris MICS.
  • Akreos AO MIL, the advanced optic lens that is capable of being inserted through sub 1.8mm incision
  • Stability over time
  • Quality of vision
  • Capsular transparency

Advantages

The Stellaris MICS technology offers the following benefits

  • 1. Quicker Surgery (Sutureless)
  • 2. Faster Recovery (Most Comfortable)
  • 3. Minimal Post-Operative Restrictions
  • 4. Better Vision Quality (AO Technology)
  • 5. Astigmatism Neutral (Least Dependancy on Spectacles)
  • 6. All the surgeries are performed using disposable pack to ensure high safety standards.

Alcon infiniti Cataract Enhancement System

Ozil, Tortional Phacomulsification technology is another latest hi-tech method by which cataract removal is done.

Are they too expensive?

Just compare the disadvantages of traditional surgery anaethesia, inability to attend work/ business for some days. Poor vision etc. you will yourself appreciate that the marginal increase in cost of surgery is more than compensated.

Indeed, You Deserva the best

Will I need glasses after surgery?

Very often not. You may need to wear glasses only to fine tune your vision. These are normal glasses and not those "thick" spectacles as in the past. Phaco and small incision cataract surgery is probably a great leap forward in the field of ophthalmic surgery.

What is after cataract?

In about 5% of the patient who undergo cataract surgery, thickening of the posterior capsule of the original lens occurs causing mild blurring of vision. This can occur anytime between 3 months to 5 years after surgery. The treatment for this is very simple.

We do what is called laser treatment for these patients. The YAG Laser is used to make a small opening in the thickened capsule behind the IOL. It is a painless outpatient procedure.

Multifocal/unifocal/state -of-the- art IOL’s

The intraocular lenses (IOL) implanted may be unifocal or multifocal IOL’s . unifocal IOL’s corrects the distance vision and multifocal IOL’s correct distance, intermediate and near vision. Multifocal IOL’s are implanted in selected group of patients only where in the other eye should be operated as soon as possible, atleast within about one month for good visual recovery

State –of-the –art IOL’s like Aberration free IOL’s, contrast enhancing IOL’s ,blue blocker IOL’s ,violet shield IOL’s can be implanted.

If you have any queries, you can meet your Ophthalmic surgeon at Rajan Eye Care.