Cataract Surgery
Intraocular lens placement
Cataract is an opacity of the natural (or crystalline) lens of the eye. When the lens is opaque, blurred or cloudy vision occurs, as if seen through a dirty or fogged lens. A complete ophthalmological examination is necessary for the diagnosis of cataract, where the degree of opacity (cataract) will be evaluated, the surgery being the definitive treatment.
Among the risk factors for the development of cataract are age, diabetes mellitus, eye trauma, etc.
The definitive treatment of cataracts is surgery, cataract phacoemulsification being the procedure of choice; during surgery, the cataract is fragmented by ultrasound and the lens is replaced with an intraocular lens. It is an outpatient procedure, performed with local anesthesia. After surgery, relative rest is recommended and ophthalmic drops will be used for approximately three weeks.
Many patients report that they have clear vision the next day after surgery, but each person is different and may need up to a week or two before they see the images at their sharpest point.