Some Cataract Eye Surgery Considerations
As people age, the tiny lenses behind the pupils build up cellular layers (think of an onion), and causing vision to become foggy.
People who have cataracts may not even be aware of them. In some cases, the patient maintains perfect vision except for high-glare situations, such as driving toward the sun or driving at night when headlights can be blinding.
Cataracts can cause people with otherwise perfect vision to become legally blind when they undergo a glare test. Or, some seniors might find they can't read as comfortably as they used to. Threading a needle or looking at a computer screen might become cumbersome.
In rare cases some people are born with cataracts. But it's usually when folks reach their 60s that they can begin to develop cataracts. A checkup from the eye doctor can diagnose what's going on. And patients diagnosed with cataracts are then referred to an eye surgeon. Cataract extractions entail the surgeon removing the human lens that has become foggy. The removal of the lens located behind the pupil is done by making a tiny incision in the eye and dissolving the lens with an ultrasound hand piece. Patients then have two options: Intraocular lenses, which correct the cataract problem, or The more expensive multifocal lenses, which fix the cataract problem and act like a pair of inside the-eye contact lenses, often negating the need for people to wear eyeglasses. Cataract Surgery and the Intraocular Lens The intraocular lens, which replaces the human lens, looks like a tiny lens with wings. The surgeon takes the lens and slips it into the tiny incision. The recovery is far quicker compared to earlier days. And the procedure is much safer than it used to be. In the past, the eye had to be cut open 7 to 8 millimeters, which increased the likelihood of getting an infection and of developing glaucoma. The surgeon would then "squish the eye" to pop out the affected human lens. Now, a tiny, little incision is made. And, it's a suture-less procedure. Quick recovery With current intraocular lens implants, some patients have been known to be back to work the next day, though that isn't recommended. While the intraocular lens is moonfaced, the multifocals correct near- and farsightedness. People who have the monofocal lens implanted usually still need to use reading glasses after the surgery. When the multifocal lenses go in, "patients for the first time in their lives don't need glasses anymore. But he cautions that some people may still need to use reading glasses on occasion. The multifocal lens also gives another option to patients whose eyes have been diagnosed as not fit for other corrective eye surgery, he says. While the monofocal lens replacement surgery works well for most people, the multifocal lenses aren't recommended for those who work at night, such as police officers, pilots or truck drivers. Most health plans cover cataract surgery, but the plans won't fully cover the multifocal lenses. Medicare covers the surgery, anesthesia and procedure room costs. Patients then have to pay $1,200 to $1,500 per eye for each multifocal lens. Multifocal lenses can be implanted in people who don't have cataracts. Those clients must pay the full $3,500 per eye.
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