Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery

Cataract surgery is, in truth, the step that separates a person with cataracts from living in a dim, faded world, and brings back the colors and the details of life that had started to slip away from their eyes. Just imagine trying to look through a car window covered in mist. That is exactly what a cataract does to the natural lens of your eye. It is a condition we could call the natural price of growing older, or the result of certain health circumstances, and the good news for you is that solving it has now become easier than you might think, thanks to remarkable medical progress.

What is a cataract?

A cataract is a clouding that affects the natural crystalline lens of the eye, leading to blurred vision and difficulty making out writing. This clouding usually begins in a small part of the lens, then spreads gradually until it causes a general weakness in vision or the feeling of a veil that blocks sight completely. At this stage, the definitive solution is to remove the clouded lens and implant a clear, advanced lens in its place.

Causes of cataracts

There are many factors that lead to cataracts, the most important of which are:

1. Growing older: this is the age related cataract, as it is called, the most common type of all, and the chances of it rise in patients with diabetes.
2. Congenital factors: a child may be born with cataracts because of hereditary factors or because the mother caught a virus during pregnancy.
3. Eye diseases and injuries: such as iritis, retinal detachment, or a direct blow to the eye.
4. Medication and radiation: the long term use of medicines such as cortisone, or exposure to therapeutic radiation for tumors, can play a part in causing cataracts.

How do we bring back your clear vision at Toronto in 5 minutes?

Our cataract surgery is done under simple local anesthetic and takes only about 5 minutes, as we rely on the latest methods in the world for dealing with this condition:

• Phaco technique: this technique uses ultrasound waves to break up the cataract and draw it out through very fine surgical openings, then implants a foldable lens that needs no stitches and ensures an immediate recovery for the patient.
• Femtosecond laser (Femto Cataract): we use the femtosecond laser to break up the lens and create the corneal openings with micron precision, and this technique also allows astigmatism to be corrected during surgery with exceptional accuracy.
• Surgical removal: we turn to this in rare cases when the cataract is very hard and old, to make sure it is taken out in complete safety.

Which lenses are used in cataract surgery?

At Toronto Vision Eye Center we are known for using the finest American lenses, which guarantee long lasting stability and sharp vision. These lenses fall into the following types:

1. Monofocal lenses: they provide excellent clarity for distance vision and a great improvement in night vision.
2. Toric lenses: the ideal choice for astigmatism patients who want to do away with glasses after surgery.
3. Multifocal lenses: a wonderful option that gives you the ability to see near and far together, and frees you from reading glasses completely.

Why should you have cataract surgery early?

Leaving a cataract untreated can lead to serious complications such as raised eye pressure (glaucoma) or the breakdown of the ligaments that hold the lens in place. With the progress in the techniques used to treat cataracts at specialized centers such as Toronto Vision Eye Center, the procedure today has become easier and safer than ever, and you can go back to your normal life from the very next day.