Cataract surgery

Cataract surgery is the removal of the lensof the eye that has developed a cataract. The natural lens is then replaced with an artificial intraocular lens. It is one of the safest and most successful procedures in all of medicine.

There are two types of surgerythat can be used to remove cataracts, extra-capsular and intra-capsular surgery. Extra-capsular surgery consists of removing the lens but leaving the majority of the lens capsuleintact. High frequencysound waves(phacoemulsification) are sometimes used to break up the lens before extraction. Intra-capsular surgery involves removing the entire lens of the eye, including the lens capsule, but it is rarely performed in modern practice. The lens is then replaced with a plasticlens (an intraocular lensimplant) which remains permanently in the eye.

Cataract operations are mostly performed under a local anaestheticand the patient will be allowed to go home the same day. Complications after cataract surgery are uncommon. Many people (up to 50%) can develop a posterior capsular opacification after initial cataract surgery. This is a thickening and clouding of the lens capsule (which was left behind when the cataract was removed) and it can be easily corrected using a laserto make holes in the capsule for the person to see through. Retinal detachmentis an uncommon complication of cataract surgery.

Previously, polymethylmethacrylatewas used as the lens material. Advances have brought about the use of silicone acrylatewhich is a soft material. This allows the lens to be folded and inserted into the eye through a smaller incision. Acryliclenses can also be used with small incisions and are a better choice in people who have a history of uveitisor are at high risk of retinal detachment. Acrylic is not always an ideal choice due to its added expense.

Couching was an early form of cataract surgery in which a small probe was inserted in the eye to push the lens down into the posterior chamber.

See also

• Charles Kelman
• Eye surgery
• Phacoemulsification

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cataract+surgery Wikipedia article Cataract surgery.