What is the difference between simple and complex cataract surgery?

Asked by: Gudrun Hermiston IV  |  Last update: September 16, 2023
Score: 4.8/5 (3 votes)

“Routinel” cataract surgery is done under topical anaesthesia and takes about 10 minutes. Complicated cataract surgery generally may require local anaesthesia and takes longer as additional procedures may be required.

What qualifies as complex cataract surgery?

You may be a candidate for complex cataract surgery if you have a cataract AND one of the following applies to you: You are 12 years or younger. Your pupil does not dilate for any reason. Your eye has been injured or damaged in some way.

What is the most preferred technique for cataract surgery?

Phacoemulsification (a type of ultrasound) is the most common method used to remove the cataract. After the natural lens has been removed, it often is replaced by an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL). An IOL is a clear, plastic lens that requires no care and becomes a permanent part of your eye.

How long does it take to recover from complex cataract surgery?

It can take up to six weeks to fully recover from this eye surgery. However, many people experience an improvement in their vision within hours of the operation.

What are the 3 types of cataract surgery?

There are three major cataract surgery procedures:
  • Phacoemulsification.
  • Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS).
  • Extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE).

Complex Cataract Surgery: multiple challenging issues

40 related questions found

What is the best and safest cataract surgery?

Traditional and laser-assisted cataract surgery are both safe, complications are rare, and both methods produce clear vision with little discomfort.

Which type of cataract is the most visually disabling?

Interestingly, our results appeared to show that for each 1% of lens area involved by cortical cataract, axially located cortical cataract caused the greatest effect on visual function, reducing visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, and increasing glare disability.

How long after cataract surgery are your eyes good?

While the full recovery period lasts around two months, 9 out of 10 patients are seeing better immediately following surgery. Some patients experience blurry vision as their eye heals, which typically resolves within a few days, provided that the patient is following the proper healing protocol.

What happens if you accidentally bend over after cataract surgery?

There are several things people should avoid after eye surgery. Avoid bending over for the first 48 hours after the surgery, as this can cause pressure to build up in the eyes and interfere with healing.

What are the most common problems after cataract surgery?

Complications
  • Posterior Capsule Rupture/Vitreous loss.
  • Cystoid Macular Edema.
  • Endophthalmitis.
  • Vitreous/Suprachoroidal Hemorrhage.
  • Retinal Tears/Detachment.
  • Lens Dislocation.

Which is better laser or incision for cataract surgery?

In laser cataract surgery, a laser is used to make the incision and lens opening and to fragment the lens," explained Dr. Horne. “It creates a more reliable, repeatable, precise incision than a surgeon can do by hand. Even a very good surgeon can't make a perfectly circular opening as precisely as a laser can.”

Which eye is chosen first for cataract surgery?

If the patient chooses a monofocal lens, generally the dominant eye is selected to undergo surgery first. This provides the patient with good distance vision and fewer night vision disturbances, given that these patients prefer good distance vision over the ability to read without glasses.

What is the latest method of cataract surgery?

FLACS or Femto laser-assisted cataract surgery is an innovation in cataract surgery. Being bladeless, it has significantly automated the complicated steps of cataract surgery, resulting in quicker recovery & better visual outcome. With Femtosecond laser, cataract surgery is now more safe and accurate.

Can the eye accommodate after cataract surgery?

One important note to make with cataract surgery is that, no matter what type of lens is chosen to replace the natural lens, post-cataract surgery the patient will have no accommodation left.

Can a cataract break during surgery?

With a typical thickness of just 4 µm to 9 µm, the delicate posterior capsule can rupture at many different stages of cataract surgery: A radialized capsulorrhexis can extend to the posterior capsule, hydrodissection can cause a blowout of the posterior capsule, the chopper or second instrument can inadvertently ...

Does cataract surgery only correct distance vision?

The new lenses inserted during cataract surgery can correct refractive vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and presbyopia. Nearsightedness is when you have trouble clearly seeing things that are far away. Farsightedness is when you have trouble clearly seeing things that are up close.

How soon can you sleep on your side after cataract surgery?

People should try to avoid sleeping on the same side of the operated eye for 1 week.

What positions are to be avoided after cataract surgery?

“High eye pressure can interfere with the incision before it fully heals,” says Eghrari. “Positions that put your head below your waist, such as bending over, can also increase eye pressure and should be avoided initially after surgery.”

How long after cataract surgery can you lift 20 lbs?

Though it may be quite tempting, don't try to lift anything that's over 10 pounds in the first week after cataract surgery. If you consider yourself a weight lifter, avoid this exercise for at least 5 weeks to be safe.

Should I wear my old glasses after cataract surgery?

In this case, your old prescription glasses won't match the newly operated eye; however, there is no harm wearing them if they help the opposite eye. If the old prescription lens is way off or bothersome, it can be removed from that side of your eyeglass frame.

Why can't you drink water before cataract surgery?

Don't: Eat or Drink Right Before the Surgery

While under sedation, there is a chance of stomach acid going into your lungs, which can cause damage. You will need to fast for about 12 hours before surgery to ensure you are safe from this effect.

How long does it take for the brain to adjust to cataract surgery?

It's a big period of adjustment that takes longer for some patients than others. Some people may experience perfect vision in a matter of days or weeks following surgery, while others may take 6 months or longer for the full benefits to take effect.

What is the most advanced cataract lens?

Toric lens implant.

This advanced lens improves vision by offsetting the irregular corneal shape of astigmatism. Toric intraocular lenses allow our eye doctors to implant and align the lens with the proper astigmatism correction inside the eye.

Which cataract has greatest impact on vision?

A posterior subcapsular cataract often interferes with your reading vision, reduces your vision in bright light, and causes glare or halos around lights at night. These types of cataracts tend to progress faster than other types do.

Which type of cataract is most likely to form due to diabetes?

The type of cataract seen in diabetic patients has also been investigated. The most common is the senile type[10]. However, snowflake cataracts, which are characteristic for DM, are very common in type 1 diabetics. Posterior subcapsular cataracts have also been shown to be significantly associated with diabetes.