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Basic Facts About Cataract Surgery Orange County Patients Need To Know

By Jerri Perry


A cataract is the term given to the condition in which the eye's lens becomes clouded, resulting in blurry vision. It is most commonly related to advancing age and can occur in one eye or both. In its early stages, new glasses may help, but ultimately the only permanent treatment option is an operation. If considering cataract surgery Orange County patients should first ensure that they know all it entails.

The surgical procedure consists of extracting the affected lens from the eye and replacing it with an artificial one. If the patient is experiencing difficulty with daily visual activities like reading and driving, usually surgery will be recommended. Patients normally have time to decide if this is the best decision however, since waiting does not generally cause further deterioration.

In some instances removal will be recommended because it may possibly prevent the proper treatment of another eye disorder such as diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration. Regular eye exams should reveal whether or not surgery is the best course of action. When both eyes need to be operated on, this is usually done a month or two apart.

Most surgeons use a method known as "phacoemulsification", which involves making an incision in the cornea's side through which the damaged lens will be removed by suction and the new, artificial lens will be inserted. These synthetic lenses are made from clear plastic. Generally 90% of patients will experience a marked improvement from this procedure.

Preparation for the surgery is started a week or two before it is scheduled. Tests will be done to assess the size and shape of the patient's eye and the curve of the cornea, as this information will be needed for selecting the correct artificial lens. Usually the patient will not be permitted to eat or drink anything for twelve hours prior to the operation.

Done as an out-patient operation in a hospital or eye clinic, the patient is usually given a local anesthetic to numb the sensation in the eye although sometimes a general anesthetic will be administered but this is not necessary in most cases. Little pain is involved and the whole procedure generally takes an hour at most.

Immediately after the surgery, the treated eye will have a patch placed on it and the patient will be told to rest. Once it has been determined that there are no complications, patients can go home as long as they have someone to drive them. Some itchiness, slight discomfort, or liquid discharge may be present for one or two days at most.

The patient will need to instil eyedrops into the eye for a regimen of several days in order to encourage healing and reduce the chance of infection. The eye will also need to be protected with an eye shield or glasses. It's acceptable to resume moderate activity and in eight week's time after cataract surgery Orange County patients can anticipate a complete recovery. Throughout this period, the doctor will conduct check-ups to evaluate the progress.




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