by Dr. Ernie Bhend
If you have enough birthdays, you will develop cataracts. That’s just a fact of growing older. Fortunately, cataracts are easily treatable with a simple outpatient surgical procedure. The techniques and technology for the surgical removal of cataracts has improved dramatically over the past 20 years.
While some people think that a cataract is a film that can simply be peeled off the surface of the eye, a cataract is actually a cloudiness of the lens inside the eye. As we get older, the proteins that make up the lens can get cloudier, which can eventually cause blurriness of vision. Once a cataract becomes significant, the cloudy lens must be removed and replaced with a new, clear artificial lens. A new lens must be inserted for the eye to still be able to focus.
These artificial lenses are basically made of a medical grade plastic material. Not only can vision be improved by removing and replacing the cloudy lens, but the new lens can be customized to reduce the patient’s need for glasses. In fact, the latest lens options (referred to as premium intraocular lenses) not only correct distance vision but can also help patients see at near distance without needing bifocals or reading glasses. This is a great option for patients who desire freedom from reading glasses or bifocals. There are also new intraocular lenses that can treat things like astigmatism.
Modern Cataract Surgery
Modern cataract surgery is typically a 10- to 15-minute painless procedure. Mild sedation is used to make the patient very comfortable during the surgery. A topical medicine is put on the surface of the eye to numb the eye so it doesn’t hurt. After the surgery, the patient wears a protective patch and shield over the eye for the first night. This is done to protect the eye as it is healing. The incision is so small that it typically will seal itself like a valve (no stitches are needed in most cases). The eye typically does not hurt after the surgery as the incision is so small.
The patch and shield are then removed the following morning in the clinic. Most patients will see improvement in their vision in the first few days, sometimes even as soon as the patch is removed. In some patients the vision may still be a little fuzzy the first day or two, but vision typically clears in just a few days after the surgery (as the eye recovers). The eye heals very quickly, with most eyes healing within just 5 to 10 days.
Cataract surgery is done to just one eye at a time. If both eyes need the surgery, the second eye surgery is typically done about two weeks later. This gives the first eye plenty of time to heal before going back to do the surgery on the second eye. The risks with cataract surgery are very few (less than 1% risk of complications with modern cataract surgery). We use the latest antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medications to reduce the risks of surgery even further.
At Missouri Eye Institute, our surgeons work closely with local doctors of optometry, who often provide care for our surgery patients before and after the procedure. We can work closely with the patient’s own eye doctors to provide the best in comprehensive eye care.
Patients interested in knowing more about cataract surgery and about the choices available regarding the lenses (including the new choices in premium lenses) should contact one of our offices to schedule an appointment. Our staff and surgeons are happy to discuss these life-changing benefits of modern cataract surgery.
Thank you to the Joplin Globe for featuring Dr. Ernie Bhend in a recent Body & Mind publication where he shared more details about cataract surgery.
1. A cataract forms within the lens in the eye.
2. A small incision is made on the side of the eye to remove the cataract.
3. An artificial lens is inserted into the eye to replace the natural lens.
4. A cataract-free eye with a clear, new lens.
Tags: cataract removal, cataract surgery, cataracts, Dr. Ernie Bhend, premium lens implants