Cataracts are a common condition that affects the vision of many older adults. Cataract surgery, or lens replacement surgery, can improve your vision significantly if you have cataracts and want to regain your sight. While cataracts are more commonly seen in older people, they can also occur in younger people who may have experienced trauma to their eyes or been exposed to certain chemicals over time. As with any surgery, there are risks and benefits associated with cataract surgery, so it’s important to learn everything you can before making this big decision.
Things to consider before deciding on cataract surgery
Before deciding to have cataract surgery, you should first evaluate what type of surgery is the best option for your needs. There are three types of cataracts: nuclear sclerotic cataracts, cortical cataracts, and posterior subcapsular cataracts. Nuclear sclerotic cataracts are the most common type of cataract that affects both adults and children. This condition blocks light from entering the eye as well as producing hazy or blurry vision when trying to focus on near objects or far away objects. Cortical cataracts typically affect adults in their 50s or 60s who have had diabetes for many years. It is important to note that these cataracts can also be seen among people who have not been diagnosed with diabetes. Posterior subcapsular cataracts are the second-most common form of cataract and occur when too much protein builds up in the lens due to aging or damage. These types of cataracts usually affect adults over 40 years old, but they may be more likely to develop if an individual has a family history of developing them or has been taking certain medications such as corticosteroids or diuretics for many years.
What happens during cataract surgery?
The cataract is removed from the eye by a surgeon. This can be done through a small incision on the side of the cornea or through a process called phacoemulsification, where the outer lens capsule is punctured with an ultrasonic probe. The surgeon then removes any lens material from inside the eye and replaces it with an artificial intraocular lens. This new lens acts like an artificial natural lens for focusing light. For people who are nearsighted, farsighted, or have astigmatism, glasses may be prescribed postoperatively to improve the quality of vision.
The day after cataract surgery
The day after surgery is often a tough time. Your eye may be painful or feel dry, your vision may be blurry, your eyelids might feel heavy or your head might hurt. These symptoms are all part of the healing process and will get better as you heal. It's also important that you don't use any eye drops or medications without talking to your doctor first because they can interfere with the healing process and delay pain relief. Use over-the-counter pain relievers if necessary to help ease discomfort.
You can expect to have blurry vision for a few days after surgery but this doesn't mean that things will stay blurry for long!
Most people who are a candidate for cataract surgery will have one or more of the following symptoms: blurred vision, poor night vision, glare, or halos around lights. However, sometimes these symptoms can be caused by other things like diabetes and age-related macular degeneration. If you're unsure if you are a candidate for cataract surgery, visit the best eye hospital for cataract surgery and talk to an eye doctor about whether this is something you might want to explore.
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