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Details About Cataract Surgery San Antonio

By Eloise Hewitt


Cataract surgery is used in removing the lens of the eye and replacing it with artificial ones. Cataracts refer to the clouding of the lens which ideally should always be clear. Eye doctors or ophthalmologists are the specialists who perform the treatment. It is performed on an outpatient basis, meaning that patients do not stay hospitalized after it is done. When considering cataract surgery San Antonio residents have to be conversant with all the details of this procedure. It is a generally safe procedure.

When it reaches a level where the individual is not able to go about their daily chores normally, then the surgery remains the best option of treatment. Furthermore, there are times when cataracts interfere with treatment of other conditions of the eyes. For example, they may make it difficult for the ophthalmologist to examine the interior sections of the eye. This will also call for surgical operation to remove the clouding.

The specific time to have the surgical operation is not that important. In fact, there are patients that take time before seeking treatment. This is because the conditions advances gradually and thus one is able to take time before making the decision to go for surgery. For persons whose vision is still good, treatment may not be necessary for several years. Treatment will be essential when it gets to a level whereby one is not able to see faces clearly, are not able to watch TV comfortably and cannot do such activities as shopping and cooking.

Any risks or complications are rare but there are people that are bound to experience them after treatment. Some of the complications include loss of vision, swelling, bleeding, retinal detachment and inflammation. In some cases, underlying conditions make it difficult for the surgery to improve vision. Such conditions would have to be treated before surgically removing the cataracts.

There is some prior preparation that is required. A painless ultrasound test is performed one week before treatment so that the actual size and shape of the eyes are determined. This will help in deciding on the best size of lens implant to be used. Certain medications are also supposed to be avoided as they may lead to complications. There are medications that may increase bleeding.

In order that risks during infection may be reduced, eye drops are used. These are applied one or two days before the procedure. There also are instances when the individual may be advised against eating or drinking anything during the day of surgery. The entire procedure is completed in one hour or even less. The eyes get numbed using local anesthesia, with sedatives used for relaxation purposes. Sedation makes people stay awake but feel groggy during the procedure.

The actual procedure involves removing the lens that is clouded and replacing it with an artificial, clear one. There are a few instances in which the lenses are removed without being replaced. Improvement will be realized some days after treatment.

For most people that go for the procedure, vision is restored successfully. Though there are side effects that may be experienced, these are rare and should be reported to the doctor at once. Among the expected complications is retinal detachment as well as increased eye pressure.




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