Cataract Laser Surgery

What are cataracts? Cataracts affects the lens of the eye causing clouding of the vision. Once cataracts have set in, light is scattered or is fully or partially blocked out. This clouding impairs the vision of the person with cataract.

Though cataracts are an abnormality in vision, it is a normal occurrence in aging. More than 90% persons older than 75 years old have cataract. Most of the time, cataracts affects both eyes but one eye is more affected than the other.

Cataract symptoms may be minimal so that persons affected may not even be aware of it. However, severe cataracts cannot see good enough to function normally in their daily lives.

How do you know if you have cataracts?

One of the telltale signs that you are starting to be affected by cataracts is having foggy, fuzzy, cloudy or filmy vision. There may also be changes in color vision. Night driving becomes difficult because headlights seem glaring, as do lamps and sunshine. Double vision also becomes a problem.

How can cataracts be treated?

The most common way is to change glasses with magnifying lenses and stronger bifocals. But if this method is not enough, surgery maybe required. The treatment will be undergone by removing the eye lens and replacing it with artificial lenses known as implant.

Cataracts can also be removed through surgery and your physician will explain the different options of surgery and how you can prepare yourself.

Laser surgery is one way of removing cataracts. Laser surgery for cataract is still experimentally tested. It utilizes light instead of ultrasound in dissolving cataract. LASEK and LASIK processes fall in laser surgery category.

In LASEK or laser epithelial keratomileusis, the cornea's surface layer will be treated with alcohol and peeled back to reshape the layer underneath. The process prevents complications associated with cataract.

In LASIK or laser in situ keratomileusis, the surface layer of cornea is scoured away. This is done to reshape the underlying cornea surface. LASIK began in the mid-nineties and has largely replaced the old process of PRK or photorefractive keratectomy since then. With LASIK, a flap is created on top layer of the cornea to allow access to underlying surface of cornea. LASIK prevents most problems of postoperative pain, slow rehabilitation and corneal haze which are seen in the traditional PRK.

Both LASEK and LASIK procedures are effective, predictable and safe for also treating low to moderate near sightedness or myopia. Cataract laser surgery is not performed in the doctor's clinic because it still needs surgical incision requiring an opening in the eyes.

It will take some weeks to completely heal an eye which undergone the laser surgery. It is advised for patients who have cataracts in both eyes to let one eye heal first before treating the other eye.

Undergoing cataract laser surgery treatment gives benefits as it improves your everyday activities, self confidence, work and safety. Consult your doctor about the available cataract laser surgery treatments available to you.