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Knife-free cataract treatment by Femtosecond laser…

A natural, transparent lens sits behind the pupil. When this natural lens loses its transparency and gets cloudy, the condition is called cataract. In other words, it is as if looking through a dirty or opaque glass. The vision gradually decreases as the cataract advances.

CATARACT IS A DISORDER THAT IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN ELDERLY PEOPLE; HOWEVER, IT MAY ALSO OCCUR AT ALL AGES, ESPECIALLY:

Symptoms of Cataract:

Cataract is a disorder that cannot be treated medically or with eye glasses. There is no effective method that can stop the progression of cataract. Surgical removal is the only treatment method of an already formed cataract. Due to the development of modern techniques, cataract operations can be performed under topical anesthesia, in an out- patient manner. In young patients and in certain complicated cases, general anesthesia may be preferred. Although the surgery time is short and the recovery is fast, cataract surgery has a major role in the quality of vision for the rest of life. The surgery has to be safe, successful and precise. The experience of the surgeon, the quality of the technology used and the lens implanted directly affect the result of the operation. Low quality equipment may lead to eye infections and/or different complications. Low quality lenses may affect the quality of vision and may require further surgeries. Secondary cataracts may develop more frequently in low quality lens implanted patients

Congenital Cataract:

Congenital cataract is cloudiness of the crystalline lens in newborns. One or both eyes can be affected. Congenital cataracts may occur because of the medication used by the mother or infections during the pregnancy period, or may be a part of congenital syndromes; but, generally occurs with no apparent cause.

In congenital cataract the pupil reflect is white instead of red. A crossed-eye (strabismus) may also be the symptom of congenital cataract. Whenever any such symptoms are observed in babies, the baby should be examined by an eye specialist as soon as possible. If the congenital cataract is likely to impair the vision and especially if it is one sided, it should be operated as soon as it is diagnosed. Time of the operation may be determined by an eye specialist only after a comprehensive examination. The most important problem observed in an eye with congenital cataract is lazy eye (amblyopia). Lazy eye should be followed regularly in 3-6 months intervals by pediatric ophthalmic specialists after the surgeries are completed.

Treatment Options:

Cataract Surgery:

Cataract SurgeryCataract surgery is generally performed under topical anesthetic drops. There are generally no more injections and stiches, as it used to be. In the "Femtosecond Laser"assisted cataract surgery, even the knives are not used. Cataract surgeries are generally done in an out- patient manner; patients leave the hospital some minutes after the surgery. Recovery is fast; patients can return their routine lives in a few days.

Phacoemulsification (Phaco) Surgery

The main popular surgical treatment of cataract is phacoemulsification (phaco) technique. Phaco enables cataract surgery to be performed under drop anesthesia, without injections and stitches. In this technique, the eye may be operated through tiny incisions. Experienced cataract surgeons using high-tech equipments can perform these kinds of operations. Special viscoelastic materials are used to protect the eye from the trauma of the operation. The cataractous lens is aspirated by specific maneuvers using ultrasound waves of the phaco machine. The lens material is totally aspirated leaving behind the posterior capsular bag in the eye. An artificial foldable intraocular lens (IOL) is inserted through the incisions and implanted inside this empty capsular bag. Due to small, self- sealing incisions stitches will not generally be needed. Although risk of post- surgery infection within the eye is too low, both eyes are not operated on the same day. The recommended period of time in between the operations of two eyes is at least one week.

Femtosecond Assisted (Knife Free) Cataract Surgery

We are proud to announce that the most modern technology in cataract surgery, the femtosecond laser assisted phaco is available at Dünyagöz Hospitals. Many steps of traditional cataract operations used to be performed by hand nowadays are being performed by the aid of special imaging techniques of Femtosecond Laser technology controlled on a PC. This new technology simplifies the surgery and enhances the safety of the procedure.

In femtosecond laser assisted phaco surgery, incisions are created with laser just at the desired site, size and shape. The wound architecture secures leakage from the wound and protects from infections. Femtosecond laser creates perfectly round and central capsular opening at the desired size. This reduces the complications of the surgery and improves postsurgical refractive outcomes. Femtosecond Laser also cuts the nucleus of the lens which simplifies the surgery and minimizes the ultrasound energy given to the eye during phacoemulsification.

Modern cataract surgeries performed using high- tech equipments, may still end up with some infrequent complications that cannot be prevented by the surgeons. Therefore experience of the operator plays a significant role in preventing from the damage of such complications. The use of laser in the treatment of cataract by is like a revolution in eye surgery opening a new era.

Why Intraocular Lenses (IOL) Are Implanted?

The natural, crystalline lens provides 11 diopters of refractive power to the eye. This lens also provides an additional 3 diopters of power for near reading until 40 years of age. After 40 years of age, the near power of the lens decreases and reading glasses are needed (presbyopia). During cataract surgery, when the lens is removed, the eye loses 11 diopters of power for far and 14 diopters of power for near. To compensate this loss, and at the same time, to cover the spherical need of the eye, an artificial lens, at a calculated power, is implanted into the eye during cataract surgery. As the incision sizes decreased, and IOL power calculation methods advanced, the post- surgical refraction became more predictable Standard IOL implantation is with monofocal lenses. These lenses, even if they are the best in quality, can not correct the original astigmatism of the eye; also, they require additional +2,50 diopters of reading glasses.

Premium Intraocular Lenses

For patients who do not want to use any glasses after surgery, there are some premium IOL options at Dünya Eye Hospitals. Toric IOLs can be implanted in patients with significant astigmatism, for better far vision. Multifocal IOLs can be implanted to patient who desire reading ability without glasses. Toric multifocal IOL is the option for such patients who have significant astigmatism.

Premium Intraocular Lenses and Femtosecond Laser

In Femtosecond assisted cataract surgery, the capsular opening created perfectly round and at desired size and can be repeated in every patient. The perfect sizing of the capsular opening ensures the perfect positioning of the IOL in the capsular bag. If the effective lens position within the capsular bag is precise, the refractive outcome becomes more predictable. On the other side, the perfect architecture of the incisions do not cause unwanted surgical astigmatism.

Cataract Treatment is a Very Important Operation For the Vision of the Eye For the Rest of Life

Experience and skill of the surgeon, quality of the instruments and materials used, quality and the function of the intraocular lens implanted, quality and purity of the viscoelastic materials used, and sterilization of the operating theater and all the surgical setting are the main factors directly affecting the success of the cataract surgery.