Results of cataract surgery

A good result means, depending on the case, the vision after surgery is good with and without glasses. Depending on the technique and implant choice, glasses are needed only for certain tasks of daily life. Most common tasks can be performed without correction.

The patient usually goes home the same day with a bandage on the eye. Post-operative checks are planned for each operation. The new glasses when they are needed, are prescribed in 4 weeks after surgery, when healing of the eye is complete.

Frequently asked questions:

What is a cataract?

Is called a cataract clouding the most part, the lens may sometimes total. The lens is a small convex lens (like a magnifying glass) that is located behind the iris (which determines the color of the eye). In the normal state, the lens is transparent, but with age or under special circumstances (trauma, glaucoma, diabetes, high myopia, inflammation, taking cortisone ...), it loses its transparency and clouds. This is what is called cataract.

Obviously this leads to clouding of the lens of visual effects as when looking through a frosted glass. Therefore, a surgery may be necessary.

This discomfort can appear gradually (usually) much more quickly or taking the patient to consult their ophthalmologist. The risk of progressive loss of vision is that the patient can become accustomed to seeing evil and become unintentionally awkward or dangerous, particularly while driving.

The opacification and enlargement of the lens are physiological (normal) with age. It is the excessive clouding of the lens that can interfere with the patient.

When should you suspect a cataract?

The gradual onset of signs may make it difficult for the patient to think of cataracts. If blurred vision or far and near is the most common sign (93.6% of cases), other signs are possible and can also be very inconvenient for the patient. A decreased tolerance to light or glare, especially when driving at night are often reported by patients (one third of cases). But it can also be a change in color vision (especially blue), difficulty in locating road signs, or in some cases double vision on one eye (the patient perceives as hiding one eye then the other.

These signs are frequently associated with cataracts, but only the eye exam by an ophthalmologist can make accurate diagnosis and rule out other diagnosis may be more serious or difficult to treat (glaucoma, macular degeneration age-related ...)

The examination by the ophthalmologist

It is the ophthalmologist who will confirm the diagnosis of cataract, its possible causes, or the existence of associated diseases. This diagnosis is made using an instrument called a slit lamp, which can directly see the clouding of the lens. A complete eye examination is performed. The discomfort of the patient is evaluated not only by clinical examination and sometimes complementary but also a dialogue about their daily lives.

This dialogue is essential to decide on a possible intervention because all the waterfalls are not to operate and some of them are just annoying and not very scalable. They therefore fall outside of surgery.

It's after a full and open dialogue taking into account the lifestyle of the patient a surgical decision can be taken. It will take account of the relationship between operative risk (small but real) and the benefit to the patient

When to operate for cataract?

When it causes significant discomfort to the patient. This discomfort is evaluated by measuring the distance vision and near but not only. Other signs of cataracts should be systematically sought by questioning the patient. Another condition must be eliminated.

What should you do before the intervention of cataract?

Although performed under local anesthesia in most cases at the Institute of Ophthalmic Somain, some tests are needed before the cataract surgery in order to ensure patient safety. First of all laboratory tests and cardiological examination. A review by the anesthetist is mandatory. Measurements of the eye are performed and the calculations to order an implant (the transparent lens that replaces the cloudy lens) "tailored" to the patient to get the best vision after surgery possible. Finally the administrative and legal information in writing of the operations are performed.

Should I be hospitalized?

More often than not unless the state or the patient's condition require it.

At the Institute of Ophthalmic Somain, patients have the choice to return home within a half-day or stay the night. In practice, the vast majority of patients choose an outpatient procedure, allowing them to return home quickly. Modern techniques of small incision surgery and anesthesia techniques that allow outpatient procedure under excellent safety conditions.

What types of anesthesia?

Local anesthesia is by far the most practiced at the Institute of Ophthalmic Somain. The eye is anesthetized with a local anesthetic but a sedative systemically is associated to release any anxiety during the procedure. This calming is tailored to each patient to account for different levels of anxiety. The patient is calm during the procedure regardless of their level of anxiety before surgery or in daily life. General anesthesia is reserved for exceptional cases.

What is the best surgical technique?

The treatment of cataract phacoemulsification (they are ultra sounds) is now the gold standard in the world. It involves spraying the lens on site using an ultrasound probe. Then a foldable implant (the transparent lens that replaces the cloudy lens), whose power was calculated before the operation is set up so that the patient can see clearly. This technique allows to use very small incisions between 1.8 and 3 mm, facilitating a rapid return of the patient to normal life.

What happens after surgery?

The patient usually goes home the same day with a bandage on the eye. The close monitoring of postoperative treatment with eye drops and compliance with postoperative instructions to ensure the safety and quality of surgical outcome. Post-operative checks are planned for each operation. The new glasses when they are needed, are prescribed in 4 weeks after surgery, when healing of the eye is complete.