Sight restored

Posted on 28 March 2013

These days cataract surgery is safe and very effective, says Dr Zoran Aleksic, a Mediclinic Cape Town ophthalmic surgeon who specialises in cataract and laser refractive surgery. He talks us through it…

I have a cataract. What can I do about it?
In the early days of a cataract you may find that you can get by with new eyeglasses, magnifying lenses or strong lighting, but if this no longer helps and bad vision starts affecting your day-to-day life, surgery is the only effective treatment.
But take heart, it is one of the most common procedures performed today, and also one of the safest and most effective. More than 90% of people who have cataract surgery have improved vision afterwards.
During the procedure the clouded lens will be removed and replaced by a clear, acrylic lens.

What happens during surgery?
In general a cataract procedure is done as an outpatient, in other words, you won’t be in for a night in hospital, and most people stay awake during surgery, although some may be given general anaesthetic for short time.
You also won’t feel pain and you won’t be able to see the operation.
•    You’ll be given local anaesthetic via powerful eye drops to relax you, numb the nerves and keep the eye from moving. (Few need an injection to the eye surrounds but it is very gentle and never in the eye).
•    Now your lens will be removed. The lens is enclosed in a capsule, which will be opened to remove the lens. Ultrasound may be used to soften the clouded lens so that it can be removed via a tiny tube. The procedure is known as a phaco-emulsification cataract procedure and takes about 15 or 20 minutes.
•    Most people who have cataract surgery can go home on the same day.

What can I expect after surgery?
After surgery you can read or watch TV almost straight away, although it may be a little blurry, and you should be able to drive by day two. Your eyes may fell a little itchy, sticky or have a mild discharge, but within one or two days even moderate discomfort should be gone, and you should be able to deal with discomfort by taking a non-aspirin pain reliever. You will also use eye drops to help your eye to heal.

Read more about what a cataract is, in Dr Aleksic’s previous post here.

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The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.