These days cataract
surgery is painless and should not worry you at all. It is performed
using a combination of anaesthetic drugs, these are given intravenously
and as eyedrops. It is no longer necessary to use generalanaesthesia
and the traditional injections that were used years ago.
During
the operation you will still be fully clothed. Undressing and changing
into a gown etc is unnecessary. This means that very soon after
the operation you will feel your usual self and be ready to return
home again.
Long periods of rest are no longer necessary and it
is possible to resume normal activities within a very short time.
The operation is performed through a tiny incision which is about 1/8th of an inch long. The cataract is removed using a special computer
controlled machine called a phacoemulsifier. "Phaco" means lens
and "emulsify" means turns to milk, the phacoemulsifier uses ultrasound
vibration to turn the cataract to a fluid which can be washed out
of the eye. The result is to leave a clean capsular bag into which
the IOL implant can be placed. |
