Cataract surgery
Cataract Surgery
Cataract surgery is a medical procedure used to treat cataract, a condition that clouds the lens of the eye and affects vision.
Pronunciation
Cataract surgery: /ˈkætərækt ˈsɜːrdʒəri/
Etymology
The term "cataract" is derived from the Latin word "cataracta" meaning "waterfall", referring to the clouded appearance of the lens. The term "surgery" comes from the Greek word "cheirourgia", meaning "hand work".
Procedure
Cataract surgery involves the removal of the natural lens of the eye that has developed an opacification, or cataract. The procedure is generally performed by an ophthalmologist and is usually done on an outpatient basis, meaning the patient can go home the same day.
Types of Cataract Surgery
There are two types of cataract surgery: Phacoemulsification and Extracapsular cataract extraction.
Phacoemulsification
In phacoemulsification, the doctor makes a small incision in the cornea, inserts a probe and uses ultrasound waves to break up the cataract, which is then suctioned out.
Extracapsular Cataract Extraction
In extracapsular cataract extraction, a larger incision is made in the cornea to remove the cloudy part of the lens in one piece. The clear, plastic intraocular lens is then implanted.
Risks and Complications
Like any surgery, cataract surgery has potential risks and complications. These may include infection, bleeding, inflammation, retinal detachment, and vision loss.
Postoperative Care
After cataract surgery, patients are usually prescribed eye drops to prevent infection and inflammation and are advised to avoid strenuous activities for a few weeks.
Related Terms
- Ophthalmologist
- Lens
- Cornea
- Phacoemulsification
- Extracapsular cataract extraction
- Intraocular lens
- Retinal detachment
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cataract surgery
- Wikipedia's article - Cataract surgery
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski