Cataract Surgery
"Many patients mistakenly believe that they should wait for the cataract to mature before it is removed, when in fact it is advisable to do so as soon as it affects vision and quality of life".
DR. SARA LLORENTE GONZÁLEZ SPECIALIST. OPHTHALMOLOGY DEPARTMENT
How are cataracts treated?
The cataract operation is phacoemulsification with topical anesthesia.
Cataract is the opacification of the crystalline lens. The crystalline lens is a transparent tissue inside the eye that is shaped like a lens and is used to focus at a distance and at close range.
Over the years, it loses some of its effectiveness, requiring the patient to read with glasses and, subsequently, loses transparency.
It produces loss of vision and is the main cause of curable blindness. Four out of ten people over 60 years old suffer from this disease. Cataracts are more frequent in people with diabetes.
When is cataract surgery indicated?
In most cases, the operation is recommended when cataracts prevent you from leading a normal life. It is not advisable to wait for total loss of vision, since there is a greater possibility of complications during surgery.
The operation is also indicated if the ophthalmologist detects that the cataract is hardening or progressing too quickly.
What are the most common symptoms?
- Blurred vision.
- Loss of color intensity.
- Distorted vision.
- Worsening of distant vision.
Do you have any of these symptoms?
You may need cataract surgery
How is cataract surgery performed?
The usual technique for intervening in cataracts is phacoemulsification with topical anesthesia.
Once the eye is anesthetized -in many cases simply with eye drops or anesthetic drops-, a small incision is made in which the crystalline lens, already disintegrated by ultrasound, is removed.
Finally, a folding lens is inserted, which is placed in the same place as the crystalline lens. Hospitalization is not necessary due to the short duration of the operation and the rapid recovery.
The cataract operation takes about 15 minutes and only requires an incision about three millimeters in size that does not need sutures. After the operation, it is not necessary to wear a blindfold or rest and the patient can resume his normal life the same day of the operation.
Although the time frame for vision recovery is variable, in general the patient begins to see well a few hours after the operation.
The only post-operative advice is to avoid intense physical effort and apply anti-inflammatory drops to the eye for a few weeks.
This surgery hardly presents any complications, so the subsequent problems that may hinder the recovery of vision are due to other ocular pathologies.
In this sense, it is essential to perform a thorough preoperative examination to know the real state of the eye.
Where do we do it?
IN NAVARRA AND MADRID
The Department of Ophthalmology
of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra
Equipped with the latest technology, the Department of Ophthalmology has the necessary equipment, both technical and human, to offer comprehensive and specific assistance to each patient.
We are one of the few centers that have a microsurgery laboratory for the improvement of clinical practice.
Organized in specialized units
- Cornea and eye surface
- Retina
- General Ophthalmology
- Refraction defects
- Oculoplastic
- Pediatric ophthalmology
Why at the Clinica?
- More than 30 years of experience.
- Experts in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular pathologies.
- With the security and guarantee of a prestigious hospital.
Our team of professionals
Specialists in Ophthalmology with experience in cataract surgery
