When someone goes for cataract eye surgery, he often wonders what the surgeon will do and if the procedure is painful. A cataract is the clouding of the lens in the eyes. This lens lies behind the iris and the pupil. The lens works much like the one in a camera by focusing light onto the retina, which is at the back of the eyes. This allows the person to adjust focus so that he can see both far away and close up. When this element clouds, this focus becomes impossible. Without good vision, the patient loses his ability to drive, read, and do normal everyday activities. In fact, some people begin to see halos of light around the sun or auto headlights. Therefore, most people will gladly pay the cataract surgery cost to retain their vision.
The main substance in the lens is water and protein. Light passes through the protein because it is arranged in a way that keeps the substance clear. But as a person ages, the protein begins to clump together, and that clouds the eyes reducing vision. Cataracts can come in three forms. The most common is a nuclear cataract, which forms in the center of the lens and usually forms because of the changes that aging causes in the eyes. The second, cortical, forms in a different area of the lens called the cortex. Unlike the nuclear, this type forms from the outside to the center. Diabetics often develop these problems because of the problems high blood sugar causes in the circulation system. The third, subcapsular, starts at the back and goes forward. Patients who have diabetes, farsightedness, retinitis pigmentosa, or people who take high doses of steroids could have this disease. Cataract eye surgery is normally very successful in restoring lost vision. Most medical insurance companies will pay for cataract surgery cost, so those who have medical insurance do not have to put up with the loss or eyesight that aging or disease brings.
When the symptoms first appear, and the patient consults his physician, he may suggest that the patient wait awhile before opting for the procedure. At first, the patient can improve his eyesight through purchasing new glasses, getting stronger bifocals, or using better lighting when reading. But eventually, the clouding will worsen, causing the patient to lose most if his eyesight. Keep in mind that nine of ten people who have this procedure will regain all their vision. The treatment is relatively painless and usually is done in the doctor's office. He will remove the clouded lens and replace it with a clear, plastic intraocular lens (IOL). The IOL works in a way similar to the clouded one, but may be yellow to filter out harmful blue light.
Every surgical procedure carries some risk. Yet almost everyone over 75 years of age will have to have cataract eye surgery. This means that millions of these treatments have occurred and that the procedure has become easy to obtain in the United States. Over the years, because of its popularity, cataract surgery cost has dropped dramatically, becoming accessible to most people. The results enable people to go on with their lives, driving, working, and other activities that they participated in before the disease struck. Sometimes, the cloudiness never gets severe enough to require intervention, but when it does, the patient can expect to only be inconvenienced for a couple of days and to have the procedure done in a doctor's office, not in a hospital. The physician will monitor the progression of the disease until the problem begins to interfere with the person's lifestyle, and then will schedule the cataract eye surgery.
When the doctor does the procedure, he will make a small incision. Then he may use an ultrasound to break up the old lens and remove it. The back membrane (the posterior capsule) is left in place. Then the intraocular replacement is inserted. A person can have a secondary cataract, which happens when the membrane behind the lens becomes cloudy after the doctor has completed the treatment with the IOL. Then he will perform an intracapsular extraction when the membrane is removed. Some doctors will remove both the lens and the membrane to prevent this secondary condition. Patients may experience some side effects from undergoing cataract eye surgery. They may experience pain, infection, swelling, and bleeding. But most patients go through the procedure without many problems, and any problems that occur will remain minor. One serious side effect could be retinal detachment, so a patient needs to watch for severe pain, vision loss, or nausea.
Scientists theorize that ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes the changes that result in this condition. For example, people who had jobs in which they were exposed to ultraviolet rays, such as fishermen, often developed this condition earlier than other people. In the past, people who underwent the treatment had to wear coke-sized glasses to retain their vision. The patients often endured a seven-to-ten day hospital stay. Today, the procedure itself may take only an hour and people have their eyesight completely restored. The eyesight is a treasured asset. Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 11:7, "Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun." Having blurred vision or sensitivity to light does not make our lives pleasant, but being able to see clearly expands our horizons greatly. Cataract surgery cost can never be measured because of the precious treasure in our eyes.
The main substance in the lens is water and protein. Light passes through the protein because it is arranged in a way that keeps the substance clear. But as a person ages, the protein begins to clump together, and that clouds the eyes reducing vision. Cataracts can come in three forms. The most common is a nuclear cataract, which forms in the center of the lens and usually forms because of the changes that aging causes in the eyes. The second, cortical, forms in a different area of the lens called the cortex. Unlike the nuclear, this type forms from the outside to the center. Diabetics often develop these problems because of the problems high blood sugar causes in the circulation system. The third, subcapsular, starts at the back and goes forward. Patients who have diabetes, farsightedness, retinitis pigmentosa, or people who take high doses of steroids could have this disease. Cataract eye surgery is normally very successful in restoring lost vision. Most medical insurance companies will pay for cataract surgery cost, so those who have medical insurance do not have to put up with the loss or eyesight that aging or disease brings.
When the symptoms first appear, and the patient consults his physician, he may suggest that the patient wait awhile before opting for the procedure. At first, the patient can improve his eyesight through purchasing new glasses, getting stronger bifocals, or using better lighting when reading. But eventually, the clouding will worsen, causing the patient to lose most if his eyesight. Keep in mind that nine of ten people who have this procedure will regain all their vision. The treatment is relatively painless and usually is done in the doctor's office. He will remove the clouded lens and replace it with a clear, plastic intraocular lens (IOL). The IOL works in a way similar to the clouded one, but may be yellow to filter out harmful blue light.
Every surgical procedure carries some risk. Yet almost everyone over 75 years of age will have to have cataract eye surgery. This means that millions of these treatments have occurred and that the procedure has become easy to obtain in the United States. Over the years, because of its popularity, cataract surgery cost has dropped dramatically, becoming accessible to most people. The results enable people to go on with their lives, driving, working, and other activities that they participated in before the disease struck. Sometimes, the cloudiness never gets severe enough to require intervention, but when it does, the patient can expect to only be inconvenienced for a couple of days and to have the procedure done in a doctor's office, not in a hospital. The physician will monitor the progression of the disease until the problem begins to interfere with the person's lifestyle, and then will schedule the cataract eye surgery.
When the doctor does the procedure, he will make a small incision. Then he may use an ultrasound to break up the old lens and remove it. The back membrane (the posterior capsule) is left in place. Then the intraocular replacement is inserted. A person can have a secondary cataract, which happens when the membrane behind the lens becomes cloudy after the doctor has completed the treatment with the IOL. Then he will perform an intracapsular extraction when the membrane is removed. Some doctors will remove both the lens and the membrane to prevent this secondary condition. Patients may experience some side effects from undergoing cataract eye surgery. They may experience pain, infection, swelling, and bleeding. But most patients go through the procedure without many problems, and any problems that occur will remain minor. One serious side effect could be retinal detachment, so a patient needs to watch for severe pain, vision loss, or nausea.
Scientists theorize that ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes the changes that result in this condition. For example, people who had jobs in which they were exposed to ultraviolet rays, such as fishermen, often developed this condition earlier than other people. In the past, people who underwent the treatment had to wear coke-sized glasses to retain their vision. The patients often endured a seven-to-ten day hospital stay. Today, the procedure itself may take only an hour and people have their eyesight completely restored. The eyesight is a treasured asset. Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 11:7, "Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun." Having blurred vision or sensitivity to light does not make our lives pleasant, but being able to see clearly expands our horizons greatly. Cataract surgery cost can never be measured because of the precious treasure in our eyes.
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