I. What is a cataract?
The lens is a transparent biconvex lens through which light passes and is clearly imaged on the retina. When the lens is cloudy, the transmission of light is affected, and you can’t see clearly.
What are the treatments for cataract?
1.Drugs: No drug has been proven to be effective in delaying, preventing or treating cataracts.
2.Surgery: Nowadays, the most commonly used procedure is ultrasonic emulsification lens aspiration combined with IOL implantation. At present, it is generally believed that surgery can be performed when vision loss affects daily work and life and causes reading inconvenience. Especially for patients with double-eyed senile cataract, surgery should be considered even if the cataract is not yet mature. When the cataract is excessively mature, the risk of surgery will increase and the time required for recovery after surgery will be prolonged.
3. Cataract surgery is not age-specific, and it can be performed on elderly people over 100 years old as long as they are in good physical condition. However, elderly people with systemic diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease or diabetes should be effectively controlled and their blood pressure and blood sugar should be stabilized at normal or near normal levels.
3. Do I have to implant an IOL for cataract surgery?
At present, cataract ultrasound emulsification surgery is the most advanced surgical method commonly used in the world to treat cataract. Through an incision of only 3mm or even smaller, the cloudy nucleus of the lens is crushed into a chylomicron and then an IOL is implanted. It is very popular among patients because of the small incision and quick recovery of vision after surgery. Implanting an IOL during cataract surgery can avoid the trouble and inconvenience of wearing highly farsighted glasses after surgery, and can also obtain more satisfactory vision at an early stage. However, for some special cases, such as: phase I surgery for traumatic cataract and congenital cataract patients younger than 2 years old, IOL implantation should be selected at the appropriate time according to the specific situation.
4. Guidance on daily life for cataract surgery patients: 1. Diet: Please take a light, easily digestible, nutritious and less stimulating diet, eat more coarse fiber food, avoid chewing hard food (e.g. nuts), keep bowel movements smooth, avoid forceful bowel movements, and prohibit smoking and alcohol. If you have diabetes, hypertension and other chronic diseases, please follow the doctor’s instructions to eat a therapeutic diet, and at the same time should be on time medication, regular monitoring.
2, pay attention to the combination of work and rest, avoid doing strenuous exercise within 3 months, you can do walking, slow walking, playing tai chi and other exercises.
3, pay attention to safety, try to avoid collision with the operated eye.
4, pay attention to eye hygiene, do not splash dirty water into the eye, do not wipe the eye with dirty hands; should not watch TV, read books, watch computers for a long time, pay attention to eye rest.
5.Follow the doctor’s instructions and take oral medication on time.
6.For children with congenital cataract, amblyopia training should be carried out under the guidance of doctors after surgery.
7.In the early postoperative period, you may not be comfortable with strong light. You can wear sunglasses to block the light and avoid discomfort caused by wind and sand in your eyes. Your visual acuity will stabilize 3 months after surgery, you should have a refractive examination at the time of review, and get glasses to adjust your vision at distance or near if necessary, in order to achieve the best visual effect.
Please bring your doctor’s card, registration card and medical record to the ophthalmology clinic for follow-up consultation. You should ask the doctor about the medication. 3 follow-ups are routinely required after cataract surgery, at 1 day, 1 week and 3 months after surgery.
9.If you suddenly develop abnormalities such as eye redness, swelling, pain, increased secretion and vision loss after surgery, please go to the hospital for consultation in time.