Cataract surgery
A cataract is a clouding of the lens inside your eye. Surgery replaces the cloudy lens with a clear one.
What a cataract is
Inside your eye, behind the pupil, there is a lens about the size of a lentil. It should be clear. As you get older it slowly turns cloudy. That cloudiness is a cataract.
Looking through a cataract is like looking through a fogged-up window. Almost everybody develops one eventually. It is not a growth, it is not a skin over the eye, and it is not caused by using your eyes too much.
How you might notice it
- Your sight becomes misty or dull, and glasses no longer sharpen it.
- Oncoming headlights glare and scatter, so driving at night gets harder.
- Colours look faded or yellowish.
- Your glasses prescription keeps changing.
When surgery is worth doing
There is no need to wait until the cataract is "ripe". The question is a simple one: is your sight now getting in the way of what you want to do? Driving, reading, watching the television, recognising faces, doing your work.
If the answer is yes, surgery is worth discussing. If the answer is no, it is reasonable to wait and be seen again later. Dr Patel will examine both eyes and tell you plainly what he thinks.
What the operation involves
Cataract surgery is done through a very small opening in the eye. The cloudy lens is broken up and removed, and a clear artificial lens is put in its place. That lens stays in the eye permanently. It does not need cleaning or replacing.
It is normally a day case: you come in, have the operation, and go home the same day. Most people have it done under local anaesthetic, so the eye is numbed and you are awake but comfortable. One eye is done at a time.
You will be told exactly what to do before and after your own operation, in writing, and the rooms will go through it with you.
After surgery, phone us straight away if
- your sight gets worse rather than better,
- the pain increases instead of settling, or
- the eye becomes more red.
Phone 012 252 8018. Do not wait to see whether it settles by itself.
Questions people ask
Will I still need glasses?
Many people still wear glasses afterwards, most often for reading. The choice of lens affects this, and it is worth discussing before the operation rather than after.
Can a cataract come back?
The cataract itself cannot come back, because the lens has been removed. Some months or years later the membrane behind the new lens can cloud over. That is easily treated with a laser in the rooms and does not mean anything has gone wrong.
Do I need someone to bring me?
Yes. You should not drive yourself home, and you will want somebody with you for the first day. Many patients also need help with the drops afterwards.
Does my medical aid pay?
Cataract surgery is covered by most schemes, but the amount they pay and what they require beforehand differs between them. Phone the rooms and we will tell you what your scheme needs.
Speak to the rooms
Phone 012 252 8018 or 012 252 8123, WhatsApp 068 630 1580, or email info@eye-care.co.za.