A cataract is an opacification or cloudiness of the eye’s crystalline lens due to aging, disease, or trauma that typically prevents light from forming a clear image on the retina. If visual loss is significant, surgical removal of the lens may be warranted, with lost optical power usually replaced with a plastic intraocular lens (IOL). Due to the high prevalence of cataracts, cataract extraction is the most common eye surgery.
Cataract surgery in Chicago can be an effective way to correct your vision. When you have a cataract, it means that there is a buildup of protein over part of your eye, usually due to deposits from your contact lenses or aging. Cataracts will sometimes cause blurry vision, in which case you should prepare for surgery to correct your problems.
The lens of the eye, which lies behind the pupil and iris, works like a camera lens. It is responsible for focusing light onto the retina, producing sharp and clear images.
The lens also adjusts the focus of your eyes. It helps you to see clearly both up close or far away. The lens is contained in a sealed capsule or bag. It is made mostly of protein and water.
The protein is arranged accurately in order to let the light rays pass through it. It keeps the lens clear and focuses the rays onto the retina. But as we age, the old cells die and become trapped within the capsule.
Overtime, the cells accumulate and some protein may clump together. It causes a small area of the lens to start to cloud which blocks light from reaching the retina. . It makes images look fuzzy or blurred, and makes harder to see.
This clouding of the lens or its surrounding transparent membrane, which obstructs the passage of light upon the retina, is defined as cataract. It will affect your sight to a large extent. Types of Cataract surgery Phacoemulsification (Phaco) is the preferred method in most cases. It involves the use of a machine with an ultrasonic hand piece equipped with a titanium or steel tip.
Extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE), involves manual expression of the lens through a large (usually 10-12 mm) incision made in the cornea or sclera.
Intraocular lens implantation: After the removal of the cataract, an intraocular lens (IOL) is usually implanted into the eye, either through a small incision (1.8 mm to 2.8 mm) using a foldable IOL, or through an enlarged incision, using a PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) lens.
Intra-capsular extraction is an out-dated method of cataract surgery, rarely performed today.
