Cataracts are one of the most common eye problems for older people, and even among younger Australians, they present themselves quite often. Luckily, cataract surgery is a very well-practised procedure that has helped millions of people across the world see far better and keep their vision well into the future. If you are going in for a cataract removal procedure, then it is only natural to be a little bit nervous. However, there is no need to worry; here are a few reasons that illuminate why cataract surgery is one of the safest procedures you can undergo and why you will be back on your feet in no time.
Quick And Simple
The shorter a surgery is, the lower the chance that something will go wrong. Cataract surgery is a fairly short procedure. The actual act of removing the cataract and replacing it with an artificial lens is quite simple for qualified cataract doctors as they have done it a hundred or even a thousand times before. Most of the time, except in extreme and rare circumstances, you can simply walk in and then walk out of a cataract surgery on the same day, sometimes only hours apart!
Very Low Tangential Risk
In other surgeries, complications often arise because of an accidental nick or infection in the wound as it heals. While an infection is still a possibility in cataract surgery, it is so low because there are very few surrounding organs that are affected. There is no skin to cut through, no blood to contend with and the chance of any other part of the body being affected at all is virtually zero due to how isolated the eyes are. Cataract surgery also has a very high success rate for partial or total restoration of your vision.
No Need To Go Under
While it may seem scarier that you don't have to go under general anaesthetic for a cataract surgery, really this is a good sign. Your cataract doctor can monitor how you are doing far more accurately, and the local anaesthetic applied to the area around the eye is more than enough to numb the very slight pain. Whenever general anesthesia is involved, the risks associated with a surgery go up, simply because sometimes patients react poorly to this form of medication and it can have unexpected side effects. Don't worry; you won't feel a thing during surgery and you also won't have that awful sick sensation when it is finished like you would with general anaesthetic.
I was not that surprised to find out that all three of my children are short-sighted considering that I have worn glasses since I was five. Eye health in children is an important topic to know about because it can impact on their learning at school. I began this blog to share eye health tips I have received from our optometrist. My blog posts will cover all things eye health like explaining optometry appointments to children so they know what to expect, and how to tell your child needs a visit to the optometrist sooner than their annual checkup. Don't let eye issues stop your children from excelling at school.