The Evolution Of Cataract Surgery

Continued advances in cataract surgery have made the process effective, quick, and almost 100% free of pain. While cataract removal has been performed since antiquity, the technologies of today have made the operation a much more routine procedure with increasingly positive results and a quicker recovery time. Listed below are three ways in which cataract surgery has evolved and how you benefit.

Incisions are Becoming Smaller

As technology allows surgeons to become more precise, the size of incisions made during cataract surgery today is a remarkable 3 millimeters in size. The smaller the incision, the sooner your eye can heal, meaning you'll be on your way to clearer vision in no time.

Through the use of a procedure called phacoemulsification, the cataract can now be broken into tiny pieces before being removed from the lens. Only through the use of advanced ultrasound technology could this procedure become what it is. To put this in comparison, just a few decades ago, the cataract was being removed in one whole piece. This required a much bigger incision and could cause more damage to the eye.

Anesthetics are Now Used

Yes, there really was a time when cataract surgery was performed without the use of anesthetics. As terrifying as that sounds, patients undergoing this routine surgery no longer have to worry as the use of anesthesia, local and general, has become common practice.

The type of anesthesia used will depend on the patient (general anesthesia is used for children and some adults) and the surgeon. If you have anxieties about being awake during the surgery, bring them up with your surgeon so you discuss a plan that works for you.

Surgical Techniques Continue to Improve

It isn't enough to have more advanced technology. The continued improvement of cataract surgery techniques has played a hand in the evolution of cataract surgery as well.

The position of the incision, as well as the general procedures that are followed have made cataract surgery a routine procedure that can now be done on an outpatient basis.

As mentioned above, phacoemulsification is the most common procedure used to perform the surgery. Its advanced nature is not due only to the use of ultrasound technology, but also the use of a fluid that reduces the shock that occurs as the result of the surgery. Surgical techniques such as these make recovery a smoother process.

If cataract surgery is in your future, you may be feeling anxious. With the help of more advanced technologies, a wider spread use of anesthesia, and improved surgical techniques, recovery from cataract surgery, as well as the procedure itself, has never been easier. Contact professionals, such as those from Midwest Eye Care PC, for additional information. 

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