Cataract Treatment
What are cataracts?
Many elderly people have cataracts. A cataract means that the eye´s lens becomes cloudy or less transparent. In the illustration, you can see the eye´s lens just behind the pupil. If the lens looses its transparency due to a cataract, light is prevented from reaching the optic nerve, and vision will be gradually reduced. Eventually, the image will become completely grey and unclear. You can check for impairment by having your vision tested at your doctor or optician. He or she will help you with a referral for cataract surgery.
Roughly half of all people past the age of 60 have a developing cataract. Occasionally younger people may also have it.
The disease can even occur in infants, or begin after an eye injury or other eye disease.
How Are Cataracts Treated?
The treatment for cataracts is surgery. Medication, glasses, or laser treatment will not help normal cataracts. Normally, your ophthalmologist will recommend surgery when your vision becomes so impaired that it affects your ability to perform daily activities. For many people, surgery becomes necessary when they no longer meet the requirements for a driver´s license. The operation involves removing the lens that has become grey and replacing it with a clear, artificial lens. This is a simple and painless procedure. Modern surgical techniques make it possible to operate on cataracts when the patient feels that the disease has become annoying. The cataract does not have to be “ripe”. There is always a degree of risk in all operations. Serious complications can arise because of cataracts, but are very rare amongst experienced surgeons.
The Surgery Itself
We perform all cataract operations on an outpatient basis. The actual surgery only takes 10 to 15 minutes, and we only use eye drops as a local anesthetic. Your eye is completely anesthetized, but you are fully conscious. Many patients are afraid that they will “see” what is happening during the operation, but this fear is completely unfounded. You see a bright light and changing colors during the operation, but you cannot see the surgical instruments. Even though you must lie still during the operation, you do not have to lie completely stiff and rigid. You may shift your position, cough, or sneeze, as long as you say so first. During the operation, which is performed under a microscope, we remove the lens through a small incision. Many people believe that this is done with a laser, but this is incorrect. The lens is softened up and removed using ultrasound. Then, the natural lens is replaced with an artificial lens that is adjusted for each patient. Since the surgical incision is very small, there is no need for sutures after the new lens is in place.
In recent years there have been enormous advancements in surgical techniques. This has made cataract operations safer and also improved results. Today, operations are performed using advanced technology, and you can be assured that Haugesund Private Hospital is using the highest quality equipment. We are uncompromising in ensuring good quality in all surgical procedures, and therefore only use materials and equipment from suppliers that can guarantee the highest quality over time. Our surgical team has years of experience, and has performed more than 5000 successful operations since we opened in 1998.