11/27/2018 Cataract Surgery Procedure: Cost, & Complications

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Cataract Surgery Procedure: Cost, & Complications

Home / Health Wiki / Cataract Surgery Procedure: Cost, & Complications

Did you know?

Cataract statistics in India in
90’s
In India in the early 1990s, it was
estimated that more than 80
percent of blind people, or more
than 10 million individuals,
suffered from bilateral cataract,
and another 10 million
individuals had cataract in one
eye.

Cataract Blindness Control

Program
In 1994, recognizing both the
tremendous problem of adult
blindness in India and the
shortcomings in the existing
cataract treatment program, the
Cataract Blindness Control
Program was begun in seven
states in India where the need
Contents  was most concentrated.

In this article, we will take a look at: 

Impact Of the Cataract
What is cataract?  Blindness Control Program
Eligibility for cataract surgery A cumulative total of 15.35
Cataract surgery procedure million cataract operations were
Side effects of cataract surgery performed within the seven
years of the program, which was
Pre and post-surgery guidelines for cataract
successful in improving the
Recovery from cataract surgery
quality of care.
Cost of cataract surgery
Results of cataract surgery
More ophthalmology procedures
References

You can click on any of the links above to navigate to the section of your
interest.

What is cataract? 
It has become almost normal for people to be diagnosed with cataract after
theappointment
Book an age of 50 years.  Inan
with this condition, clouding occurs in the natural lenses of
Ophthalmologist Book Now
the eyes, which lie behind the iris and the pupil. 
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11/27/2018 Cataract Surgery Procedure: Cost, & Complications

Cataract may occur as a result of a past eye surgery such as ICL, or due to
aging, genetic disorder, diabetes, exposure to ultraviolet rays or radiation, or
eye trauma or any eye injury which changes the tissue of the eye lens. 

When cataract occurs, the natural lens of the eyes become hazy due to
protein denaturation. This prevents light from passing through the lens,
clouding the vision. 

Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure and takes around 30 to 45

minutes. 

Please Note: Cataract surgery is done on one eye at a time. The surgery on

the next eye is performed only after the complete recovery of the first eye.

To know more about cataracts, how do cataracts form, who is prone, and the
symptoms of cataracts please see: Cataracts: Causes, Symptoms, and Related videos
Treatment
Cataract
Surgery
 Animation

Cataract
Am I an ideal candidate or eligible for cataract surgery? Surgery
 Animation
You are an ideal candidate for cataract surgery if you are :

experiencing cloudy vision

seeing bright colors as faded
experiencing double vision Cataract
Surgery Side-
experiencing light sensitivity  Effects
experiencing poor night vision
not pregnant and nursing
cataracts are impeding your daily activities such as driving, reading,
cooking, or your outdoor activities Ten Potential
not experiencing dry eyes  Cataract
 Surgery
Complication
How is the cataract surgery done?  s

Cataract surgery involves the following steps: 

At the outset, the doctor applies drops to your eye which dilate your
pupil.
Related articles
The area around your eye is then washed and cleansed.
Thereafter, the doctor injects anesthesia into the tissue of your eye. Blepharoplasty (Eyelid
Alternatively, anesthesia can also be administered as drops. Surgery)
To prevent you from blinking, eyelid holders are used to keep your Blepharoplasty is commonly
eyelids open and hold them in place. known as an eyelid correction
procedure. It involves removing
There are two different methods for removing cataract from your eyes -  excess drooping skin, muscles
and fat pads from near the
Phacoemulsification eyelids.
Extracapsular

Corrective Eye Surgery

Phacoemulsification Procedures: Cost & Eligibility

In the phacoemulsification procedure: Corrective eye surgery or

refractive eye surgery are broad
Using a fine scalpel or laser, the doctor makes three-minute incisions, terms covering a host of surgical
less than 1 - 4 mm on the side of the cornea. options available today, to
correct a variety of vision

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11/27/2018 Cataract Surgery Procedure: Cost, & Complications

He creates an opening through the capsule of the lens, through which defects, including short-
he inserts a small probe emitting ultrasound waves. The ultrasound sightedness, farsightedness,
waves break the cloudy lens into fragments. astigmatism.
The doctors suctions out the fragments through the incisions.
He then injects a small artificial intraocular lens made of plastic,
Laser-Assisted in Situ
silicone, or acrylic compounds through an incision. Keratomileusis (LASIK): Cost
Once inside, the artificial lens unfolds automatically and takes up the & Effects
position of the natural lens. LASIK is an eye surgery that
Once the artificial lens is in position inside the eye the procedure is corrects certain eye conditions
complete. such as nearsightedness
(myopia), farsightedness
No sutures are required as the incisions made are very minute.
(hyperopia) and astigmatism.
This artificial lens almost always lasts for the remainder of a person’s life. 

Extracapsular

In the extracapsular method of cataract surgery:

The doctor makes a rather large incision (10-12 mm) on the side of the
cornea.
Through the incision, the doctor removes the entire cloudy lens as one
single piece.
He then inserts an artificial lens through the opening to replace the
natural lens.
After inserting the artificial lens the doctor sutures the incision. In this
procedure, since the incision is large sutures are required. These
sutures do not need to be removed.

The recovery period from the extracapsular cataract surgery is longer

compared to the phacoemulsification cataract surgery due to the large size
of the incision. 

Are there any side effects of cataract surgery? 

After the cataract surgery you will:

be sensitive to bright light

feel as if there is a foreign body in your eye
experience blurred vision
mild itchiness
stickiness
pain in the eye
dry eyes after the surgery which is a common side-effect and gradually
resolves as the eye heals (You can also use lubricating eye drops after
consulting with the doctor till such time that the dry eye syndrome
subsides).

These side effects are completely normal and usually heal in a couple of days
as the eye begins to heal. 

More serious complications which can occur are:

infections such as endophthalmitis

decreasing vision
increasing pain
swelling around the eyes
inflammation
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11/27/2018 Cataract Surgery Procedure: Cost, & Complications

seeing floaters
swelling of the retina due to fluid build up between the layers of the
retina which affects the eyesight
retention of a piece of cataract within the eye
swelling of the cornea due to fluid build up
retinal detachment when the retina detaches from the inner wall of
the eye

These complications, however, are extremely rare. If they do occur, you will
need to contact the doctor immediately. 

Very rarely, a complication called posterior lens capsule opacification (PCO)

occurs after cataract surgery.  This occurs when the capsule holding the lens
may become cloudy, sometime after the cataract surgery or even in the
months following the surgery. This occurs when the epithelial cells which
remain after the cataract surgery grow on the capsule. 

PCO can be easily treated with a laser procedure which removes the hazy
part of the capsule.  

Are there any pre-surgery and post-surgery guidelines? 

The first step of cataract surgery is the eye evaluation done by the cataract
surgeon. Your eye will be examined and the doctor will ask you questions
about your lifestyle to understand your expectations from the surgery, the
kind of vision you seek to have after the surgery. This evaluation will also help
your surgeon to find out what type and power of lenses you require.  

The doctor may also advise you to undergo additional health checkup before
the surgery. 

Before the surgery, you will be prescribed a preoperative eye drop, which you
need to apply on the eye which is to be operated, as directed before the
surgery.

On the day of the surgery:

make sure to wear comfortable clothes

do not apply any makeup, cream or lotion on your face and especially
avoid any eye makeup
you will need to make arrangements for someone to drive you to and
fro on the day of the surgery
make sure to eat your regular meals before the operation

After the surgery :

your vision will be blurred for the first few days

it is advisable not to go out for a few days after the surgery to avoid
any kind of sudden injury, and direct sunlight
you need to wear the sunglasses continuously even inside the house, it
will help your eyes feel less sensitive to light
it is very normal to experience a little eye irritation after the surgery,
or even eye discharge
you should refrain from rubbing your eyes or splashing water on your
eyes for at least two weeks after the surgery
do not use any face wash, or soap on your face for two weeks after the
surgery, instead, you can use baby wipes, or makeup wipes to clean
your face

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do not shampoo your hair during the first week after the surgery. If
you do wish to shampoo the next week, make sure that the shampoo
does not get into your eyes
avoid the shower and hot tubs
while sleeping you can use eye shields which will protect your eyes if
you inadvertently try to rub them in your sleep
you will be advised to avoid any form of strenuous activity or exercise
such as gardening, weight-lifting, jogging, swimming, yoga, or
aerobics.
you will also be advised by the doctor to not bend over for any
purpose for a couple of days to avoid putting any extra strain on your
eye
you should refrain from driving till you are absolutely confident that
your vision is clear and stable.

How long will it take to recover from cataract surgery?

It will take around 6 - 10 weeks to completely heal from cataract surgery. 

What is the cost of cataract surgery in India? 

The cost of cataract surgery in India varies from Rs. 30,000 - Rs. 65,000 for
each eye.

Are the results of cataract surgery permanent?

Cataract surgery results are considered to be permanent. 

More Topics on Opthalmology Procedures

People interested in this topic  also read: 

Corrective Eye Surgery Procedures: Cost & Eligibility

LASIK (Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis)
Epi LASIK (Epipolis Laser In Situ Keratomileusis)
LASEK (Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis)
PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy)
ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens) surgery 
Blepharoplasty (Eyelid surgery)
Cataract Surgery
Cataracts: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

References
1. D Allen, Clinical Review Cataract, and surgery for cataract [Internet].
https://www.bmj.com. 2018 [cited 13 April 2018]. Available
from: https://www.bmj.com/content/333/7559/128

2. Sonron E, Tripathi V, Bridgemohan P, Sharma S, Clinical Review Cataract and surgery for
cataract [Internet]. https://www.bmj.com. 2018 [cited 13 April 2018]. Available from:
https://www.bmj.com/content/333/7559/128 

3. CASE 19: Treating cataracts in India [Internet]. Center For Global Development. 2018
[cited 13 April 2018]. Available from: https://www.cgdev.org/page/case-19-treating-
cataracts-india

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11/27/2018 Cataract Surgery Procedure: Cost, & Complications

Questions answered by trusted doctors

Verified User

Regarding cataract surgery

My father has cataract in his right eye, we consult the clinic, they told
need to do surgery. So I'm in doubt whether should we go with the laser
cataract surgery or traditional cataract with the blade. Please could
guide us doctor. Thanks

Dr. A K Goel
Ophthalmologist/ Eye Surgeon, Moradabad

Choose the surgeon instead of procedure. Let the surgeon

decide the procedure as per his/her proficiency. After laser
even the surgery will be performed by phacoemulcification.
And a finer blade will be needed  for phaco tip entry.

Dr. Smriti Jain

Ophthalmologist/ Eye Surgeon, Gurgaon

Laser cataract surgery provides a little safety over the one

with the blade, but the technology doesnt let laser alone
take care of cataract surgery and the current gold standard is
still Phacoemulsification . Its the surgeon who matters ...
with or without laser !

Verified User

Cataract surgery

Please tell me about different types of lenses used for a cataract surgery
different doctor are charged different charges for lenses.tell me which is
better for cataract surgery

Dr. Mohammed Haris

Ophthalmologist/ Eye Surgeon, Varanasi

Basically there is differences in prices of intraocular lenses

owing to its different properties.Premium lenses cost more
because they are similar in color perception and contrast
sensitivity to normal human crystalline lenses.Multifocal
lenses gives almost freedom from spectacle use,as patients
are able to read also without the aid of glass.

Verified User

Cataract Surgery

My mother is having cataract surgery tomorrow and the surgeon has

asked her to put eye drops named VIGADEXA. But he did not say in

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11/27/2018 Cataract Surgery Procedure: Cost, & Complications

which eye(as only her right eye is going to have cataract surgery) and
how many drops? Please advise me with the same.

Dr. A K Goel
Ophthalmologist/ Eye Surgeon, Moradabad

put it in eye to be operated.

Dr. Vaibhev Mittal

Ophthalmologist/ Eye Surgeon, Sangrur

Hello
Use that eyedrop in eye to be operated tomorrow
One drop 6 times will be enough

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