{"id":635,"date":"2017-12-22T14:53:53","date_gmt":"2017-12-22T13:53:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/knezovic.com.hr\/siva-mrena\/"},"modified":"2019-10-16T01:19:54","modified_gmt":"2019-10-15T23:19:54","slug":"cataract-surgery","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/knezovic.com.hr\/en\/services\/cataract-surgery\/","title":{"rendered":"Cataract Surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cataract<\/span><\/h2>\n

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\nWhat is cataract?<\/h4>\n

Cataract is clouding of a natural lens that leads to poor vision. The vision becomes blurry and colors become pale (yellowish-brown tones prevail). Night vision problems (night driving) appear when visual acuity becomes
\neven worse, and sometimes people see circles around source of light. According to the latest research conducted by the World Health Organization, over 50% of the non treated cases lead to blindness.<\/p>\n

When does cataract occur?<\/span><\/h4>\n

Cataract occurs most frequently in the third age, after 65, as a result of degenerative changes in the lens. It can also occur earlier because of some other illness, when it is called secondary cataract (trauma, exposure to irradiation, metabolic disease, diabetes, corticosteroid use, etc.). If cataract is present in the infant \u2013 it is called congenital cataract.<\/p>\n

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Cataracts – What is the best time for surgery?<\/span><\/h4>\n

Cataract surgery is recommended when a patient has a functional problem. This is most common when visual acuity decreases to 70 percent and lower. It is important to note that it is not recommended to wait for the cataract to \u201cripe\u201d as it used to be, because it is easier to perform the surgery at an early stage. Later, when the cataract gets mature, much more ultrasonic energy is needed to remove the cloudy part of the lens and the procedure is more difficult and risky.<\/p>\n

Cataract – how to diagnose it?<\/span><\/h4>\n

The cataract is usually detected when the patient notice that vision weakens and that loss cannot be corrected by wearing eyewear. Refractive error is rapidly changing and people often change a few glasses a year. Driving a car becomes more difficult, especially at night, when glare and circles appear around the light source.
\n\u2022 Cataract and driving (low vision)
\n\u2022 Glare and halo effect
\n\u2022 Glasses do not help<\/p>\n

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Does blury vision means that I have a cataract?<\/span><\/h4>\n

Blury vision can be caused by a variety of diagnoses, such as: diopter change, astigmatism, glaucoma, eye changes, etc. However, in the case of people older than 65, blurred vision is most often caused by changes in the lens or cataract .<\/p>\n

Questionnaire – Do I have a cataract?
\nFill out a short questionnaire done up by our specialists and check with 90% accuracy if you have a cataract and whether you need a specialist examination.<\/p>\n

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Ophthalmic Examination \/ What is Included?<\/span><\/h3>\n

The examination is very important and needs to be thorough, performed by a specialist ophthalmologist.<\/p>\n

The examination includes:
\n\u2022 Determining the refractive power,
\n\u2022 Eye pressure measurement,
\n\u2022 Slit lamp examination,
\n\u2022 Tear film evaluation,
\n\u2022 Dilating the pupils<\/p>\n

As a part of the exam, biometry is performed – the calculation of the optical power of the intraocular lens that will be inserted in the eye during the operation.<\/p>\n

Biometrics may be performed ultrasonically or with a special laser device, which is more precise and is very important if the patient decides to have multifocal intraocular lens implanted (clear vision at all distances).
\nModern clinics usually also have an endothelial microscope which determines the number and shape of the corneal endothelial cells, which is important because it assesses the risk of surgery.
\nOcular ultrasound is also required to exclude certain ocular eye diseases (retinal ablation).<\/p>\n

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You can read more about the examanition.<\/span><\/h4>\n

* You can do all of the above mentioned exams at the Knezovi\u0107 Clinic in one day without waiting. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.<\/p>\n

Cataract – natural healing?<\/span><\/h4>\n

Unfortunately, until today there is no therapy that has been proven in treatment of cataract. It is important to reduce exposure to UV radiation and to avoid over exposure to sunlight during hot summer days. It is also recommended to regulate the diet and eat as much heat-untreated vegetables (peppers, carrots, green salad). The only effective way of treatment is surgery.<\/p>\n

Is the eye pressure related to cataract?<\/span><\/h4>\n

Eye pressure is not the cause of the cataract, although cataracts may sometimes cause eye pressure increase and glaucoma. There are two reasons.
\nThe first is that the lens volume increases, which moves the lens forward and partially closes the eye drainage system (trabeculum). This causes an increase in the pressure of the eye, because the aqueous (liquid that fills the eye) can not get out of the eye (phacomorphic glaucoma).
\nAnother reason for increasing eye pressure due to cataracts may be the increased release of protein from the cloudy lens which obstructs the trabeculum with protein clots (phacolytic glaucoma).<\/p>\n

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You can read more about the exam on our site.<\/p>\n

* You can do all of the above exams at the Knezovi\u0107 Clinic in one day without waiting.<\/p>\n

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT<\/p>\n

Is there a difference between surgery in the hospital or in private facility?<\/span><\/h4>\n

The surgery can be done through health insurance in most SLO hospitals. Patients usually complain about long waiting lists.
\nAlso, in the hospitals it is not possible to obtain a multifocal intraocular lens, so after the surgery it is necessary to wear glasses to achieve full visual acuity.
\nIf a patient decides to a have surgery in the hospital, we recommend an exam to be performed in one of the private clinics to better determine all of the parameters due to more advanced technology and to shorten the waiting time for the examination.<\/p>\n

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What does the cataract surgery look like?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Preparing for the cataract surgery<\/span><\/h4>\n

The eye drops that dilate the pupils are applied when patient arrives to the Clinic. Eye pressure and blood pressure are measured and the patient is examined on the slit-lamp.<\/p>\n

After about an hour (depending on how fast pupils dilate), the patient is ready to go to the operating room. In the operating room, the patient is comfortably placed on the operating table, which is soft and movable in multiple directions to ergonomically adapt to each patient.
\nNurses disinfect the skin around the eyes, put a sterile patch over the patient, and place an eyelid holder that helps the patient not to blink. The eye is anesthetized with eyedrops and there is no need for general anesthesia. No injections are given and the procedure is completely painless.<\/p>\n

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Cataract surgery \u2013 the procedure<\/span><\/h4>\n

The surgery itself lasts about 10 minutes. The patient looks at the light source and is constantly awake and communicating with the surgeon. Since surgery is painless and fast, most patients are surprised that everything has passed so quickly and easily, and that all the fears that people usually have before the procedure were unnecessary. The procedure is performed through a small incision only 2 mm wide, without the need for sutures or any injection. At the end of the procedure, the lens is implanted in the eye, which also enters the eye through the small incision and unfolds in the eye. At the end of the surgery, sterile eyepatch is put on the eye and the patient leaves the operating room with a help of medical staff.<\/p>\n

After the cataract surgery<\/span><\/h4>\n

About half an hour after surgery, the patient goes home, warned to avoid greater physical exertion and unfavorable microclimatic conditions (wind, dust, smoke). Check-up examination is scheduled next morning.<\/p>\n

Three hours after surgery<\/strong>
\nSterile eyepatch may be removed from the eye. Except for the first check-up examination the next day, it is recommended to have a check-up one-month after the surgery (when glasses are prescribed if needed). Regular control follow-up of the patient are scheduled 6 months and a year after the surgery.<\/p>\n

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Cataract surgery complications<\/span><\/h4>\n

Every surgical procedure may have potential complications such as eye infections, damage to the eye tissues during surgery, etc. With modern technology and ultrasonic devices that release minimal amounts of ultrasonic energy,
\ncomplications are extremely rare. The reason for this is stable eye pressure during the entire procedure. Before, when the surgeries were not performed ultrasonically (classical method or ECCE), complications were much more frequent and the results of the procedure were worse. Nowadays, cataract surgery has become a routine surgery.<\/p>\n

Is it possible for the cataract to reappear?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Once the cataract surgery has been performed, the cataract cannot emerge again. The surgery effect is lasting and lifelong.<\/p>\n

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Implantation of the Lens and Cataract surgery – Experiences<\/span><\/h2>\n