What is the high risk?
“We went to several hospitals, and after understanding the situation, they were not willing to help us do the surgery. The reason is that the old man is old, has blood disease, poor health, the risk of surgery is high, and the chance of regaining sight is very small,” said the patient’s family.
According to Zhisuping’s recollection, when he first met the patient, his vision was below 0.05 in both eyes and he had advanced senile cataracts in both eyes. The old man was pale and panting due to a concurrent bone marrow suppression disease. The examination report showed severe anemia and a significant decrease in all blood images, with all indicators more than double below normal, as well as hypoproteinemia and poor physical condition. If the surgery was not handled properly, it would cause intraoperative bleeding, postoperative infection and other adverse reactions, which would have devastating trauma to the eye and even require removal of the eye, seriously affecting the patient’s life.
After successfully removing the cataract and restoring the vision of the right eye to 1.0 After comprehensive analysis of the old man’s condition, Zhishuping first performed adequate preoperative preparation and preventive medication to reduce the risk of surgical infection, and then performed cataract removal and folding IOL implantation in his right eye. Although the surgery was difficult, Zhisuping was able to complete the surgery successfully with her excellent medical skills and meticulous operation.
After two surgeries on the left and right eyes, the patient’s vision was restored to 1.0 in both eyes, and he was able to move around freely and no longer needed the care of his family.
Cataract ultrasound surgery is the most ideal way to remove cataract. “The development trend of surgery is that the incision is getting smaller and smaller, the operation time is getting shorter and shorter, and the effect is getting better and better,” said Zhishuping.
She introduced cataract ultrasound emulsification surgery as a micro-minimally invasive procedure, which is regulated by a microcomputer, and through ultrasound oscillation, coupled with fine manual manipulation, the hard lens nucleus is crushed and emulsified, aspirated through a small incision to ensure an intact posterior capsule membrane, and then implanted with a folded IOL, thus enabling patients to regain their vision quickly.
“Cataract ultrasound emulsification is the most advanced and reliable method to treat cataract at present because of its short operation time, small incision (only 2.8~3mm), no suture, small postoperative astigmatism, fast recovery of vision, quick healing, good results, no need for systemic medication, no restriction of patient’s activities, and no effect on patient’s general condition.”
As China enters an aging society, the number of elderly cataract patients is increasing.
“Some patients’ families think that it is too dangerous to operate on people over 80 years old, but in fact it is not, because in medicine, there is no uniform limit on the maximum age for cataract surgery.” Zhi Shuping pointed out that at present, cataract ultrasound emulsification surgery can be completed by using local anesthesia in the eye or even by ordering anesthetic eye drops, which is very painful and takes a short time. Many senior citizens are actually able to withstand the surgery because of their own good health and stable blood pressure and heart condition. She believes that the ability to withstand cataract surgery does not depend on age. Some elderly people, even if they are suffering from serious systemic diseases, can tolerate the surgery and get good results if their conditions are stable through treatment.
In addition, she reminded that it is wrong to think that “cataracts are mature without surgery”. These eye diseases mostly occur in the middle and late stages of cataract, such as expansion and overripe stage, which can not only cause blindness, but also sometimes cause serious inflammation in the eye, resulting in eye atrophy. Ji Shu Ping said that some patients can suffer from long-term eye pain that is unbearable and finally must have their eyes removed as a last resort, therefore, she stressed, “Cataracts must be treated surgically when they develop to a certain extent.”