Cataract is the number one eye disease that has caused blindness in China for a long time. With the improvement of medical level and the change of people’s awareness, the number of cataract blindness is becoming less and less. Not only that, the indications for cataract surgery are becoming broader and broader, but more and more people are getting better and better vision sooner because of the improved surgical techniques.
Do I have a cataract or not?
I remember a famous cataract drops invited a famous lady to do a TV commercial, which said: “blurred vision, black shadows in front of the eyes, flying mosquitoes ……” are all symptoms of cataract… … At that time I thought, this is obviously wrong, bad intention to mislead consumers. Because “flying mosquitoes” is never a symptom of cataract. The ad was later amended to remove the description of cataracts. So, what exactly are the symptoms of cataract? How can you tell if you have a cataract? The typical symptom of cataract is a painless gradual loss of vision. A feeling of plastic film in front of the eyes and a foggy appearance are words that patients often describe to their doctors. In addition, some patients have photophobia. Importantly, these symptoms of vision loss are persistent, progressively worse, and do not improve over time. If you experience any of these sensations and are over the age of 50, it is recommended that you seek medical advice to confirm whether you have a cataract.
Is it troublesome to go to the hospital for cataract examination?
Cataracts are a common disease among the elderly and are relatively easy to examine. A routine examination will take less than 20 minutes and cost less than $100. And there are no invasive tests and no pain.
What exactly is going on with the lens?
The human eye requires a clear lens (referred to as the lens) to see the world clearly. As we age, the lens gradually becomes cloudy blocking light from entering the eye. The lens is inside the eye and usually requires instruments and a dilated pupil to see well; therefore, it is usually not visible to the naked eye. The surgery involves replacing the lens by removing the cloudy lens and then placing an IOL in the eye. There are different types of IOLs such as domestic and imported, hard folding, monofocal and multifocal. The commonly used IOLs vary greatly from region to region. As a cataract patient, it is important to note that IOLs are not the main determinant of post-operative vision. Patients should not be overly concerned about the place of manufacture, material and age of IOLs, as these matters have negligible impact on your post-operative vision.
Is cataract surgery complicated?
After decades of continuous efforts, cataract surgery technology has now reached an unprecedented level. A skilled surgeon can complete a cataract surgery in about 10-15 minutes. Most cataract surgery patients do not feel any pain during the procedure and are unaware of the procedure. Intravenous and oral medications are generally not required during the perioperative period. Many patients report after surgery that their fear and nervousness are the main reasons that prevent them from undergoing surgery, and that the pain of the surgery itself is not the first priority. Of course, this is only true for patients with less severe cataracts. Patients with severe cataracts and a longer history of the disease will have a longer and more difficult surgery, as small incisions cannot be performed.
Is cataract surgery risky?
Bleeding and infection are risks common to all surgeries. Cataract surgery is no different and cannot be avoided. A very small number of patients develop severe intraocular bleeding and infection, ultimately resulting in limited improvement or even loss of vision. However, the chances of this risk are very small and it is not advisable to overstate the risks of surgery.
Is cataract surgery always effective?
As mentioned earlier, cataract surgery is a replacement of the lens. As such, this surgery does not treat other eye conditions outside of the lens. When other diseases are present in the eye, it is difficult to improve vision, even if cataract surgery is done beautifully. Common problems are fundus disease, keratoconus and glaucoma. Some diseases can be detected preoperatively, and some are difficult to detect with the cataract obscured. As a result, some patients have limited improvement in vision after cataract surgery. Do not be anxious when this happens, but communicate well with your doctor to find a solution. In a sense, cataract surgery can instead help in the examination and treatment of eye diseases such as funduscopic diseases.
Can medications (eye drops, oral medications) treat cataracts?
Surgery gives the impression of being cold and cruel, and most people are afraid to talk about it. It is common and understandable to seek medication to treat cataracts. At present, a few topical medications are seen to be effective for early age-related cataracts and can slow down the rate of progression. However, the cure of cataracts in patients who originally required surgery after the use of eye drops is something that is hardly encountered in clinical practice. For early age-related cataracts, the use of a little topical medication should not be prohibited, and it is a comfort to the patient’s psyche.
At what level of vision should surgery be performed?
As cataract surgery techniques have improved, exactly what the preoperative visual acuity is is no longer used as a hard and fast indicator to regulate indications. As long as the presence of cataract is felt to be affecting the quality of life, surgery can be performed. Clinical cases of 0.6-0.8 abound. However, based on experience and universal principles, vision down to 0.5 should be abandoned for medication and surgery should be considered. If the cataract reaches a very high level, it will make the surgery significantly more difficult and the possibility of surgical complications increases, and the postoperative recovery is slower.