Cataract Removal
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A cataract occurs when the lens inside the front of the eye becomes cloudy and opaque, therefore reducing the amount of light that can pass though it, to the back of the eye. The lens is used to focus light onto the retina located at the back of the eye, so that the images we see are sharp and in focus.
A small part of the lens or the whole lens can be affected by a cataract and one or both eyes can be affected. The amount of visual disturbance or loss depends on this and the presence of other eye conditions such as macular degeneration (a lack of blood to the part of the retina which sees detailed and colour vision), diabetic retinopathy (when blood vessels leak blood and fluid into the eye) or gluacoma (when there is raised pressure within the eye).
Cataracts usually take a long time to form and patients may only realise that their eye sight is deteriorating after an assessment by their optician. This is vital for driving. Cataracts are more likely in older people as the lens naturally hardens and becomes cloudy, although congenital cataracts in babies may be inherited or be caused by an infection in the womb. Other causes in other age groups include eye injuries and trauma, use of steroids to treat other conditions and diabetes, causing cataract formation at an earlier age.
Make an Enquiry | Treatment Description
Description of Cataract Removal
Not everyone requires an operation. The decision to operate depends on your age, lifestyle, occupation and general health, but cataracts can only be treated surgically. This is generally a very simpe and effective precedure.
Before surgery however, advice is usually given out wearing peaked caps and sunglasses to reduce the light shining directly into the eye and about eye drops which widen the pupils so that more of the available light gets through to the back of the eye.
Usually only one eye is operated on at one time so that one eye can recover with the best vision possible before attempting the second eye.
The surgical technique to remove cataracts is known as phacoemulsification. Before surgery, eye drops are usually used to widen the pupil but this also means that you will not see anything except some blurred light.
The surgeon makes a 3mm incision on the surface of the cornea using a microscope. This incision is at the edge of the iris (coloured part of the eye) near the upper eyelid.
A special needle is inserted through this incision which emits high energy ultrasound waves which break down the lens containing the cataract. The pieces are sucked through the needle painlessly afterwhich a new artifical lens made from plastic (called an intraocular lens or IOL), is inserted and placed in the correct part of the eye. The incision is self healing and therefore does not require stitches.
Occasionally, a slightly different procedure is used called a manual extracapsular extraction where a bigger incision is made and which requires stitches for healing to take place. Here, the lens is removed in one piece and a new artificial lens inserted, but this is done less frequently as recovery times are longer.
Medical Facts
Most people can see well enough to drive after a cataract operation. But, driving will not be possible for at least 24 hours following surgery.
After surgery, the eye and tissues around it will usually be swollen and anti-inflammatory eye drops with or without antibiotic eye drops will be given to reduce this.
It can take 1-2 weeks for the eye to recover fully such that vision is clear. During this time, special precautions need to be taken to reduce problems. These include, resting for 2-3 days after surgery, special precaution in judging distances if one eye is covered, avoiding rubbing or touching the eye, taking care not to let dust or dirt into the eye, avoidance of soaps and shampoos, avoidance of heavy lifting or straining to prevent pressure build up within the eye and avoiding bright lights by wearing sun glasses for example.
On the whole, side effects are usually minor and transient and include, stickiness and reddness caused by infection, pain and bruising. However, more serious side effects can occur when there is trauma to the eye when the lens gets lost inside the eye or when the capsule of the lens gets cloudy requiring laser treatment.
How You Will Feel:
Phacoemulsification is usually done under a local anaesthetic and as a day case procedure. Immediately after surgery, an eye cover or tape is placed cover the eye for protection but this can be removed after a few hours.
How Long Will you stay in Hospital after your Cataract Removal?
Single Day In-patient Care
What to do next:
We specialise in providing medical care and surgery abroad. We only work with medical institutions that we have inspected and checked. We offer Cataract Removal
in both North and South India as well as facilitation on all the other elements in your journey such as flights, accommodation and activities. Our team in India operate as your personal agents while you are in country and is tasked with supporting you in any way you need.
We work with hospitals across the world including France, UK, Canada, India, Pakistan, Malta and Hungary to provide our patients with the most appropriate levels of care and treatment
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We have teams in the UK, India and Pakistan who manage your stay and provide you with support whenever you need it. Please contact us to find out how we can help you. Contact us even if you are at the early stages of considering the possibility of treatment abroad.
Related Resources about Cataract Removal
Why Travel for Cataract Removal .
Travelling abroad for Cataract Removal can give you access to top quality health care quickly and cheaply. Our mission is to make your journey absolutely successful - in terms of treatment, in terms of outcomes and in terms of experience. We offer treatment in a wide range of locations including Europe, India and Singapore.
Make an Enquiry to Globe for Cataract Removal
Please feel free to post an enquiry to us at Globe if you are interested in having more details of how this all works and how we might be able to help you. Your information is treated as strictly confidential by us. We ask that you fill in the fields with the red stripes if possible. You can also contact us directly with details from our contact us page.
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