Cataracts are a significant health issue in Australia. Medibank, one of the nation’s leading private insurance providers concluded that, in early 2018, at least 700,000 citizens were impacted by this health malady. Potentially even more disturbing is that the ailment is considered the primary cause of blindness on a global scale. Fortunately, however, surgical intervention often eliminates the problem and prevents permanent sight damage.
That said, those in need of such procedures must execute numerous preparatory steps to ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible. Doctor Cameron McClintock, a Brisbane Cataract Surgeon, invites those soon to undergo this procedure read the following blog providing a brief overview of cataracts and the steps they need to take in advance of corrective intervention.
Cataracts Overview
A cataract occurs when a vital eye component called the lens becomes clouded. There are three cataract differentiations, subcapsular, nuclear, and cortical. Individuals experience subcapsular cataracts when the back of the lens grows cloudy. The nuclear variety impacts the lens’s center. Cortical cataracts begin in the lens’s outer reaches and gradually work their way towards the center.
Typically, the earliest symptom stricken subjects experience is slight to moderately blurred or hazy vision. However, as said condition advances, an impacted individual’s sight gradually worsens and, if left unchecked, could progress to the point of blindness.
The most common cause is age. However, cataracts can be precipitated by a host of other factors, such as, high blood pressure, diabetes, eye injury, obesity, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, the ingestion of certain medications, steroid usage, and hormone replacement therapy.
Cataract Surgery
Luckily, if detected early enough, cataract surgery can ameliorate sight deficiencies. The procedure is performed by an eye surgeon who removes the failing lens with an artificial one. Many healthcare providers maintain the procedure is relatively non-invasive and is often performed on an outpatient basis.
Sis Important Preparatory Steps
Despite typically being quick and, for the most part, painless, surgical recipients must perform numerous steps geared towards expediting the recovery process and preventing any possible complications. Such actions include:
Choosing The Most Appropriate Intraocular Lens
Arguably, the most important preparatory step the patient must perform is choosing the most befitting intraocular lens, sometimes simply abbreviated as an IOL. The IOL is the apparatus a surgeon will replace the clouded lens with. There are several different types of IOLs. The patient and surgeon should designate one that best meets the recipient’s personal needs and addresses any other existing vision issues.
Disclose Any Medications Taken
Individuals undergoing cataract surgery are strongly urged to disclose any prescription or over-the-counter medications they use on a routine or even infrequent basis. Certain drugs might interfere with the surgical process. The performing surgeon will inform the patient which drugs are safe, in addition to the substances that should be avoided until after the recovery process is complete.
Arrange Transportation
Recipients will not be permitted to drive themselves home. Though most procedures take no more than a half-hour, are relatively pain-free, and are performed on an outpatient basis, the patient will be administered either oral or intravenous sedation and drops to numb the impacted eye. Therefore, most surgeons will request that the patient be driven to and from the clinic or hospital in question. Fortunately, however, most patients will be able to resume driving within a day or two following the procedure.
Designate A Suitable Wardrobe
Patients should not overlook their wardrobe. Surgeons recommend wearing light and loose-fitting clothing that is soft and comfortable. Moreover, such articles should also be easy to remove. Typically, recipients will be required to don an eye shield following surgery. Ergo, wearing clothing that is difficult to pull over one’s head could present an unnecessary recovery challenge.
Avoid Food Or Beverage Consumption
Eye surgeons often recommend cataract correction recipients avoid consuming food or beverages the day of the procedure and, in certain cases, even the night prior. Eating or drinking might precipitate various untoward digestive problems and might interfere with the sedation process.
Bathe
Patients are strongly encouraged to bathe in the hours leading up to the procedure. A clean face, hair, and eyes are critical to avoiding potential complications, like post-surgical complications, such as infection.
Contacting Us
Individuals experiencing cataract symptoms are urged to contact Dr. McClintock. This skilled and experienced eye surgeon can perform a thorough evaluation and offer the most appropriate course of treatment.
Autobiography
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