What is ocular cataract?

Ocular cataract is the loss of transparency of the crystalline. The lens is a natural lens that is located immediately behind the pupil.

In a young and healthy person, the lens is transparent and elastic. Its transparency allows the rays of light to pass through it, forming the images in the retina. The elasticity turns the lens into a multifocal lens, capable of focusing according to the distance of the objects we are looking at, in a similar way to the operation of a camera lens.

Over the years the lens loses elasticity and the Presbyopia or eyestrain which is corrected with glasses. The loss of transparency of the lens (cataract), does not allow the clear passage of light to the retina and vision is progressively lost. It cannot be corrected with glasses and the eye drops that supposedly slow down the evolution have not been shown to be effective.

The only treatment for cataracts is surgery, removing the opaque lens and replacing it with an artificial lens (intraocular lens).

Symptoms of ocular cataracts

One of the cataract symptoms, when it is forming, is the appearance of blurred vision and, sometimes, double vision. Some cataracts cause a paradoxical situation, you see better on cloudy days than on sunny days, or you no longer need your glasses up close. In most cases, it becomes difficult to drive at night and often requires repeated changes in the prescription of your glasses.

As it progresses, vision decreases and can lead to blindness if it is not treated at the right time, it can even affect the contralateral eye if the cataract ruptures with the release of its intrasaccular content. In these cases, a very serious condition known as “sympathetic ophthalmia” appears.

When should I have eye cataracts?

When the decrease in vision interferes with the patient's usual activities, it is time to operate on them. The other situation in which surgery is indicated is when the ophthalmologist appreciates an increase in Intraocular pressure or other complications related to the progression of the cataract, in these cases, although the patient has a certain degree of vision that allows him to carry out his usual activity, it is advisable to consider cataract extraction. In the past, cataracts were not operated on until the patient was practically blind.

Currently this attitude not only does not make sense, but it can carry risks; The intervention of a very advanced cataract is, in general, more complicated, increasing the risks of surgery.

On some occasions, we recommend lens surgery with a fundamentally refractive objective: in presbyopic and myopic or hyperopic patients, lens surgery with intraocular lens implant not only allows them to improve their vision, but at the same time, allows them to do without your glasses or contact lenses.

Risks of eye cataract surgery

All surgeries have some risk, especially when they are intraocular. Currently the results of cataract surgery are excellent. Visual recovery It is usually fast and satisfactory in the vast majority of cases. However, it is important to know that success cannot be guaranteed 100 percent.

We can only take the maximum of preventive measures so that the probability of risk is very low, and if a complication occurs, it can be resolved without major consequences.

How an eye cataract operation is performed

The current technique is called phacoemulsification of the cataract, using ultrasonic energy to fragment it, which can be supplemented with cataract laser surgery.

Ultrasonic fragmentation techniques allow the cataract to be removed through a small incision of 2 or 3 mm. In our center we have reduced the size to 1 mm, which significantly reduces the surgical trauma (video). A cannula is inserted that will destroy the contents of the cataract, aspiring it later, this way the transparent capsular bag remains, empty and prepared to place inside it an intraocular lens that replaces the natural lens.

We currently have intraocular lenses with flexible materials, which allow them to be inserted through the small incision made at the beginning of the surgery. The lens unfolds inside the lens sac, replacing the natural lens. There are different types of lenses, from monofocals, such as the glass of glasses to see from a distance and multifocal lenses, to see far and near. In recent years, a new type of lens has appeared that tries to emulate the physiological mechanism of the lens, they are the "Pseudo-accommodative Lenses", which offer better optical quality.

La cataract operation itself lasts about ten minutes and, in general, is performed with topical anesthesia (anesthetic drops) and sedation so that the patient is relaxed. In most cases it is not necessary to cover the eye at the end of the intervention and the patient can see with the operated eye when leaving the operating room.

Visual recovery is very fast, being able to obtain a useful vision from the first hours of the intervention. However, during the days following surgery, the visual capacity will gradually improve until it reaches its maximum, usually 2 or 3 weeks after the operation.

Postoperative cataract

During the cataract postoperative period, he can lead an almost normal life, although at first his vision is not perfect. During the first days, you should avoid physical exercises that involve sudden or violent movements of the head. It is very important not to rub your eyes.

You can sleep in the position you like best, avoiding sleeping on your stomach for the first few days.

Especially during the first few weeks, it is advisable to wear sunglasses when going outside. They will not only serve to protect the eye, but also to avoid the glare that normally appears after the intervention.

Postoperative treatment of a cataract operation

• Carefully wash your hands before putting any eye drops or ointment in the eye.
• If two kinds of eye drops or ointment coincide at the same time, it is enough to wait 3 minutes between both applications and put the ointments or ointments at the end
• Some eye drops must be kept in a refrigerator (it will be indicated in the product instructions).

HOW TO INSTILATE A COLIRIO
Tilt your head back, lower the lower eyelid and instill ONE DROP, without touching the eye.

HOW TO APPLY A POMADA
Tilt your head back, lower your lower eyelid and apply very little ointment “like a grain of rice”. The first portion must be discarded each time the tube is opened.