Sight is our most precious sense enabling us to enjoy the beauty of the world in which we live. Blindness has been recognized as an important public health problem in India, a country that is now home to a billion inhabitants. A nationwide survey, undertaken in 1999-2001, revealed the prevalence of blindness to be 8.5%. Over 60% of blindness has been attributed to cataract alone.

For centuries, developing cataract doomed a person to blindness. Today modern microsurgical techniques utilizing state-of-the-art equipment, lenses and surgical material, allow people to enjoy good, clear vision after their cataracts have been removed. We at Shroff Eye Centre believe that giving up favorite activities and suffering through years of poor vision due to cataract is no longer an inevitable part of the ageing process. Our centre and its team of cataract surgeons are dedicated to provide the best possible care to patients suffering from cataract.

Before understanding cataract, it is important to know how a normal eye works. The eye is like a camera. The lens in a camera allows light to pass through and focuses that light on the film at the back of the camera for a clear picture.

The eye works in a similar way. The lens of the eye is normally clear and allows light to pass through. The light is focused on a thin film-like retina, which is situated at the back part of the eye. This is how we see.

Cataracts that occur due to the ageing process cannot be prevented as the ageing process itself cannot be prevented. Using the eyes for reading and similar activities has nothing to do with cataract formation. Avoiding the use of eyes will not prevent cataract.

Till date as per all authentic medical research no medication exists to prevent or cure a cataract. The only known treatment for cataract is surgery.

It is one of the oldest, safest and most successful forms of surgery. It requires a very short hospital stay and is generally performed under local or topical anesthesia. The patient is awake during surgery but does not feel any discomfort or pain. Patients are ambulatory immediately after surgery and are discharged on the same day.

The eye operation is performed with the help of a sophisticated operating microscope. A small incision of 2.0-2.5 mm is first made in the eyeball (Step 1).

A smooth round opening is then made in the front part of the lens capsule, which is a thin membrane enclosing the entire lens (Step 2).

All cloudy lens material within the lens capsule is then removed through the same incision by the procedure of phacoemulsification using a thin titanium probe that emits high-speed ultrasound waves, vibrating at 40,000 times per second. This breaks the cataract into tiny pieces, which are then suctioned out of the eye through the same probe (Step 3).

In the final step, a Foldable Intraocular Lens (IOL) is introduced through the small incision, and placed within the capsule of the lens where it unfolds and stays in place securely (Step 4).

One of the most recent advancements has been the ability to perform cataract surgery through even smaller incisions (as small as 1.8 mm). Small and micro incisions such as those used in phacoemulsification seal themselves immediately after surgery and heal very quickly. Compared to non-phaco cataract surgery, the postoperative rehabilitation for stitch-less phacoemulsification is faster and one can return to normal work and activities within a few days. This is currently the most effective method for removing cataracts.

Great strides have been made in phacoemulsification technology. All top-of-of-the-line phacoemulsification machines currently available have the capability to deliver "Cold Phaco" which has the advantage of significantly reducing the ultrasonic energy to break up the cataract resulting in safer surgery and less damage to the eye. A further development in this field has been the introduction of "Torsional Phaco" (OZil Technology) available in the latest state-of-the-art Alcon Infiniti Vision System. This revolutionary technology leads to even further reduction of ultrasonic energy delivered in the eye, resulting in crystal clear corneas after surgery and faster visual recovery even in hard cataracts.

The WhiteStar Signature with Ellips "Transversal Phaco" is another such phacoemulsification device, which has made cataract removal a safe procedure. Both these technologies are available at Shroff Eye Centre for the benefit of cataract patients.

The improvement in quality of life after cataract surgery is extraordinary, and most patients are not dependent on their distance glasses for daily activities. Some patients however, may need glasses of small plus or minus power to obtain the best possible distance vision.

IOL power calculations are done by trained personnel using a computerized ultrasound biometer for measuring the eye before the operation, and every endeavor is made so as to get very minimal post-operative power in the distance glasses. A new device called the IOLMaster is now available which is capable of very accurate measurement of the eye and calculation of the IOL power. However, since these calculations are based on certain theoretical formulae, it will vary on a person-to-person basis, and some people may have a slightly larger postoperative refraction than others. Unlike the natural human lens, which can change its shape to focus for various distances, the IOL, since it is made of plastic, cannot do so. Hence, majority of patients undergoing routine phacoemulsification with IOL implantation, typically require reading glasses after cataract surgery.

Advances in IOL technology have made available various state-of-the-art IOLs. These new lens designs include 1) Blue-light blocking IOLs that filter out harmful ultraviolet radiation as well as blue light, 2) Aberration-free IOLs which greatly improves image quality by enhancing contrast, eliminating glare and haloes, and improving night vision, and 3) the newer Multifocal IOLs which provides good unaided distance and near vision with less dependence on glasses. 4) Toric IOLs are also available for the correction of high cylindrical spectacle numbers. Depending on the patients' personal visual needs, the surgeon decides the most appropriate lens to implant in the eye.

Your eye surgeon will be the best judge to decide whether you can undergo phaco-surgery.

Each patient undergoing cataract surgery is examined in detail to assess the endothelial count of the cornea using the Automated Specular Microscope. The endothelium is the inner most layer of the cornea which is responsible for its transparency. Preoperative assessment of the endothelial count enables the surgeon to identify patients in whom this layer is weaker (low cell counts), who are not fit for the phacoemulsification procedure, and in whom surgery by the conventional technique would be safer. Again based on findings of the endothelial count by specular microscopy it may be necessary to alter certain medication used at the time of surgery. If necessary, special protective substances such as Chondroitin Sulphate, are used to minimize loss of the already depleted endothelial cell counts during surgery.

No surgeon in the world can perform a surgery with guaranteed results. However, almost all the patients regain good vision following cataract surgery.

The calibre of vision obtained after a successful cataract surgery with IOL depends upon the health of the retina behind. Eye disease or problems in the cornea, retina or optic nerve may limit the potential for clear vision even when the cataract surgery itself has been successful.

However, it might not be possible to evaluate the condition of the retina, optic nerve, in advanced cataracts.

Cataract and IOL surgery is not a magical procedure and need not necessarily restore normal vision immediately. Blurred vision may be present immediately after surgery. As the eye heals over a period of time, vision improves gradually.

Modern microsurgical techniques for cataract removal are highly successful procedures. The few complications that exist are becoming even more remote, with newer developments in surgical techniques and anesthesia.

Some minor complications that can occur include a slight drooping of the eyelid, swelling around the eye, corneal haze, reflections or slight distortion from the lens implant, which are usually temporary. The chances for serious complications are negligible. Possible serious complications include infection, severe inflammation, and hemorrhage.

In a majority of cases these complications can be treated successfully or may resolve on their own with a good final restoration of vision. The above list is however not exhaustive.

Contrary to a popular myth cataract cannot be removed with lasers. Surgery done by phacoemulsification is commonly termed "Laser Surgery" by many people.

However, in a certain number of patients undergoing cataract surgery, the back part of the lens capsule may thickens over a period of time causing blurred vision.

This is known as a secondary cataract. This is not a complication. The condition is treated with a "YAG Laser Capsulotomy" with full restoration of vision.