Cataract forms when the crystalline lens of the eye develops an opacification. Lens of the healthy eye is transparent and light can pass through without effort. In case of cataract lens gets thicker and becomes cloudy. It is hard for the light to pass through it and vision is being blurred. Form and scope of the opacification of lens can differ. If opacification have established further from the centre of the lens, then you can sometimes leave the existence of cataract unnoticed. Cataract can be the cause of cloudy or blurred image. It can be compared to frozen or steamed window.
Cataract Surgery
Glasses can help in the initial stage of cataract but surgical treatment is necessary when the loss of vision caused by the cataract encumbers normal everyday life. Removal of the opacificated lens is possible only through surgery.
During the surgery of the cataract the lens that has developed opacification is removed from the eye. It is replaced by the artificial intraocular lens. Local anaesthesia is usually used in the cataract surgery. Laser in the cataract removal surgery is not used.
Different types of intraocular lenses are available today, enabling good vision at one, two or all three distances:
- Near: Approx. 40 cm (Reading)
- Intermediate: Approx. 80 cm (Computer work)
- Far: Beyond 100 cm (Spatial orientation)
Intraocular lenses can simulate the refractive properties of the natural lens, however they do not have the ability to accommodate. Advanced intraocular lenses are available to meet patient’s individual vision requirements. Depending on the design, these IOLs can offer further benefits, such as improved contrast perception.
Intraocular lenses are usually made of a soft, synthetic, and biocompatible material. A typical IOL measures approximately between 11 and 13 mm in diameter. The thickness of the lens can vary, depending on its refractive power. The corrective power of the lens is individually calculated and may differ for each eye. An IOL is transparent and neither visible nor perceptible in the eye.
There are different types of intraocular lenses available today: monofocal, bifocal, toric and multifocal lenses.
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