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The technique, called refractive phako for
short, is the most successful method of
restoring your vision following cataract
surgery. The incision is 3mm long i.e. about
half the width of your small fingernail,
The cloudy lens is broken down inside the
eye and washed out. This lens is then replaced
with a clear man-made one. The new lens
is inserted and it opens up like a flower
when inside. No stitches are used and the
incision is self healing.
While removing a cataract it is now possible
to refocus the eye to give clear distance
vision without glasses. Many patients are
able to continue routine daily tasks without
the need for spectacles, even those who
had previously depended on glasses. The
process consists of two main parts:
- Meticulous measurements of the eye
preoperatively in the outpatient clinic
and computerized analysis of the results.
- On the day of the surgery a carefully
chosen implant is inserted into the eye
which will focus it for distance.
The most satisfied patients after cataract
surgery are those who do not require glasses
to see clearly. Since your eye is refocused
during the operation we take the opportunity
to focus it for no distance glasses even
if you have worn glasses all your life.
Implants, like glasses, come in different
strengths and you will have your eye measured
to find the strength of implant most suitable
for you. We cannot guarantee that patients
will not depend on glasses in every case,
even those patients who did not depend on
glasses beforehand. Most patients can expect
to be able to carry out most tasks without
having to resort to the need for glasses.
If glasses are required they normally very
weak ones. Occasionally some patients prefer
to have their eyes focused for near vision
so that they can read without glasses. These
patients however need glasses to see clearly
in the distance.
It can sometimes be forgotten that the primary
function of cataract surgery is the prevent
you going blind from cataract. Being spectacle-free
afterwards is a great bonus which we always
try to achieve but it is not the main reason
for the Surgery.
Since the standard
fixed-focus implant is a man-made lens it
does not autofocus so you will need reading
glasses for all close work after the operation.
One way around this is to have one eye focused
for near and the other focused for distance.
This is called monovision. In this situation
when you look in the distance you can see
sharply with the distance eye and the near
eye backs it up. When you then look at something
close the near eye sees sharply and the
distance eye backs it up. In this way no
glasses are required for routine tasks at
near or distance but simple glasses can
be used whenever very fine vision is called
for. Some patients find this type of vision
very useful while others have difficulty
getting the two eyes to work together without
glasses. Eventually the brain adjusts to
the new vision in almost all cases.
We can give you a preview of monovision
using disposable contact lenses. I this
way you can see whether it would be suitable
for you.
Alternately you may wish to consider the
ReSTOR
Lens which focuses the two eyes together
for both distance and near simultaneously.
See the section on the ReSTOR
lens, the IQ lens
and also the astigmatism
lens within this website.
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What Method Is Used
