Cataract surgery

Cataract surgery is a procedure whereby the natural lens which is impairing visual function is removed. The operation is carried out by removing the natural lens through tiny incisions using a process called phacoemulsification and replace it with an injectable lens within the eye. Corneal astigmatism may be corrected at the same time. A common way of doing this is with corneal limbal relaxing incisions or with special lens implants. Ultrasound technology is used for lens extraction. The majority of operations are carried out under local anaesthetic with drops or anaesthetic gel. On occasion sedation or general anaesthetic may be used. After the lens implantation the wounds are very small and no stitches are used. The recovery is usually very quick. A number of choices of lens implants are available and these are described on the lens implant choices page. Cataract Surgery Faqs