Guide To Cataract Surgery

How The Procedure Works

The surgery used to remove cataracts typically takes around an hour to complete. The surgeon will first give the patient drops in their eye to help dilate or enlarge their pupils. A patient may receive sedatives to help relax them before the local anesthetic is administered. There are two different methods a surgeon can use to remove the clouded lens. Phacoemulsification is a method where the surgeon makes a corneal incision and inserts a specialized and thin probe into the part of the lens where the cataract is located. The probe is then used to emulsify or break up the cataract with ultrasound waves before the leftover fragments are suctioned out of the eye. 

Extracapsular cataract extraction is where the surgeon makes a larger incision and removes the front capsule of the lens that contains the cataract. The back of the lens capsule is left undisturbed so it can function as a resting surface for the artificial lens. Once the lens is placed, the surgeon stitches the incision. Extracapsular cataract extraction is reserved for patients who are not suitable candidates for phacoemulsification.