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Cataracts
Surgery and Laser Treatment
An ophthalmologist will decide on the most appropriate type of operation
for the eye.
All eyes are different, and generalizations should not be made. The type of cataract
extraction and whether or not a lens implant is inserted will vary. In phacoemulsification
or extracapsular cataract surgery, a protective clear capsule is retained in the eye. In up
to 50% of patients, this clear capsule, through a normal process of cell regeneration, may
become cloudy causing the vision to become hazy. This is not another cataract. In these
patients, a laser procedure may be required months to years later. This opening of the
cloudy membrane is called a capsulotomy. In the past this was done surgically, but at
present is done using painless laser techniques.
In an eye with a normal retina (the back portion of the eye), excellent vision is
usually achieved. Individuals with other eye problems such as glaucoma, previous retinal
detachments, previous eye surgery or injury need special care, but significant visual
improvement is often possible.
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