Cataracts, common in older people, occur when naturally occurring proteins on the eye clump together and cloud vision. This condition relates to aging, although smoking and diabetes can contribute to their development. According the National Eye Institute, by the age of 80, more than half of all Americans will either have a cataract or undergo cataract surgery. Several surgical treatment options exist for cataract surgery.
Phacoemulsification
A common cataract removal surgery called phacoemulsification takes less than 30 minutes to complete. It generally requires minimal sedation and numbing eye drops, but no stitches for wound closure or eye patch for healing. A surgeon utilizes a probe transmitting ultrasound waves to destroy the cataract and remove the pieces. A clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens, or IOL, is permanently implanted, according to Georgiahealthinfo.gov.
Extracapsular Cataract Surgery
Extracapsular cataract extraction serves as an option for cataract surgery when phacoemulsification isn't enough to destroy the clumped proteins on the eye lens. It requires a larger incision than phacoemulsification and removes the cataract in a single piece. The nucleus and cortex are also removed, but the back of the lens capsule remains, providing support for the intraocular lens implant according a white paper on eye care from Johns Hopkins Medicine. The patient needs to wear an eye patch after surgery.
Intracapsular Cataract Surgery
Physicians rarely utilize intracapsular cataract surgery for removal of cataracts due to the large incision necessary in the operation; however, situations in which the lens of the eye is partially or completely dislocated may call for it. Surgeons remove the entire lens and the surrounding capsule, and the intraocular lens, the implant, is located in front of the iris.
