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Cataract removal
Definition:
Cataract removal is a procedure to remove a clouded lens (cataract) from the eye to improve vision, which almost always includes the implantation of an artificial lens. Alternative Names:
Cataract extraction; Cataract surgery
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Description:
The normal lens of the eye is transparent. It focuses light onto the inner surface of the eye (the retina) to create an image. As a cataract develop, the lens becomes cloudy and blocks the normal path of light entering the eye. Vision becomes obscured. The purpose of cataract surgery is to remove the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial lens, thereby restoring clear vision. Cataract removal surgery is for people who are not satisfied with their current vision or whose cataracts disrupt their life. Cataracts are seen most commonly in the elderly. However, children may be born with clouded lenses (congenital cataracts) due to infections they acquire before birth. Surgery is usually recommended for people who have loss of vision or visual abnormalities caused by cataracts. PREPARATION: An ophthalmologist will take several measurements to assess the type of surgery needed. These tests will include an ultrasound of the eye to measure length and a measurement of the curvature of the front surface of the eye. Together, these tests help the surgeon choose the power of the artificial lens to be implanted in the eye at the time of surgery. Routine preoperative testing is often done to assess overall general health prior to cataract removal. Because cataract surgery is usually done with local anesthesia (numbing), most patients are able to undergo cataract extraction regardless of other illnesses they may have.
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