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Cataract
Our Specialty - Cataract
Although we do many types of operations successfully at Dr. Aaphale's Eye Hospital, Dr. Aphale is specialised in CATARACT SURGERY.
What is cataract?
There is a crystal clear lens in our eye which focuses the light rays on retina, where image of the object falls. Because of various reasons like aging, injury, diabetes, prolonged steroid use, this lens gets opacified, or it is no longer transparent. Hence it cannot focus light rays on retina. In fact it obstructs the passage of light rays in the eye. So the person starts seeing everything blurred.
Though operation, without cut etc. It is not true. Actually, laser energy is used to perform some of the steps in cataract surgery e.g., cornea is cut with the help of laser instead of blade. The removal of cataract is still not possible with laser and phaco is still only method to crush and remove the cataract. Besides, insertion of lens in the eye needs cutting of the eye.
Cataract Surgery
The good news that with latest technology, it is not only possible to regain good vision after cataract surgery but it is also possible to get even better and spectacle free vision after cataract surgery, than the pre-cataract stage.
In simple language, if a person has −3 or +4 spectacle number before he developed cataract, it is possible that he can see everything without spectacles after cataract surgery. It is the experience of most of the operated patients at Dr. Aaphales’ Eye Hospital that the quality of vision which they have after cataract operation is much better than the vision they used to have in their forties. This means they almost always get the vision of their twenties after cataract operation. This is the magic of good quality intra-ocular lenses.
Cataract Operation at Dr Aaphale Eye Hospital
Dr. Aphale has been specially trained for cataract surgery in USA and in India. It is Dr. Aphale’s mission and passion to give best vision to her patient of cataract without spectacles by the painless phacoemulsification procedure. This is made possible in part, by her latest technology phaco machine. It enables her to remove the cataract through smallest cut. It helps to remove cataract without disturbing any other structure of the eye. There is no need of injection, no need of closing the eye with a patch. There is no bleeding during operation.
Operation takes 5 to 20 mins.
The skillfully taken cut heals on its own and doesn’t need stitches. So no pain, but all gain! No redness or pricking sensation is left after the operation. It is difficult to recognize which eye has been operated on next day! Of course no stay in the hospital or admission is required and it’s a matter of 2 to 3 hours and one can go home for lunch, if started in the morning.
The visual recovery is very fast and within a day or two people can resume to work, while those who want, can start cooking from the next day.
That’s why most of the corporate managers, busy executives, business persons and lonely ladies prefer to get operated at Dr. Aaphale's Eye Hospital.
It is not only important to remove the cataract through smallest cut with world class machine by latest technology but it is also important to use the best quality intra-ocular lenses.
Just like a good quality camera lens gives good picture, a good quality intra-ocular lens gives good vision. Just seeing an object is not a good vision. Good vision includes sharp image, minute details, excellent colour contrast, ability to identify different colour hues, and ability to see objects at different distances. We offer excellent quality intra-ocular lenses to be implanted in the eye after cataract surgery, which give even youth-like vision. We offer hydrophobic acrylic lenses, unifocal toric and multifocal. In case of unifocals, person needs near spectacle number, though he can see distant objects clearly without spectacles.
Toric lenses are specially designed for the people who have corneal astigmatism. They get better vision without glasses after inserting this lens.
The multifocal lens offers spectacle-free good vision for near and distance.
Though many companies provide lenses we use only world class lenses. Amazing results are obtained with this lens as the person using near glasses for years suddenly get rid of his glasses.
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Clear Lens Extraction
The additional advantage of cataract removal is patients who have high plus or minus number for their spectacles have a chance to get rid of their age old glasses as we adjust this old number in the intra-ocular lens.
Same technique is used for persons who have very high number and where LASIK is not appropriate. These patients can get benefit of phaco technology.
Their natural, clear lens is removed with phaco and an artificial lens whose power is adjusted as per spectacle power is fitted in the eye. Thus after this operation, patient can almost always see without glasses.
If multi-focal lens is inserted in above cases, person can get good near vision also without glasses.
Thus, this operation of removing clear lens and inserting artificial lens at its place of desired power is really a boon for high spectacle number people.
Post operative care for cataract patients-
Even though the cataract surgery is performed skillfully and with most advanced method, expert post operative care is very important. Dr. Aphale personally examines the operated patients on follow up visits. In initial stages person can see reasonably well by changing the spectacle number, the only treatment for cataract is surgery.
What happens in cataract operation theatre?
Just before operation
» Cataract operation is done in the morning.
» Patient can have hair bath and breakfast at home, before coming to the hospital.
» We give some medicine one day before operation, which gives better result during and after operation.
» Patient is supposed to take their routine medicines of diabetes, B.P. etc,
» After admitting in the hospital, some medicines may be given.
» Consent is taken for the operation.
» Eye to be operated is cleaned.
» Patient is given special dress to wear.
In Operation Theatre
» Patient is escorted in the operation theatre.
» Patient lies down on operation table comfortably.
» Drops are put in the eye.
» Eye to be operated is cleaned.
» Head of the patient is covered with a sterile towel.
» Plastic drape applied on the eye to be operated.
» A speculum, which keeps the eye open throughout the operation, is applied.
» Again, anaesthetic drops are instilled in the eye.
» After some more cleaning and washing of the eye, actual operation is started.
» Patient is asked to look in the microscope light in front, throughout the operation.
» Patient may feel the movement around the eye, but there is no pain.
» Patient is supposed to keep the eye steady. Most of the patients do it easily.
» Patients, who are not confident about keeping their eye steady during operation; there is an option of anaesthetic injection.
» Dr. Kshipra Aphale operates on the eye, while OT nurse helps her.
» Other staffs take care of patient’s comfort.
» There are sounds of machine while various modes are used. Patient is fully awake and can hear those sounds.
» Operation takes 15 to 20 minutes.
» Patient goes out walking; wearing goggles, and can start seeing.
» Some patients see everything red or blue, as these colours are cut because of cataract and after removal of cataract, they may get accentuated. This effect goes 2, 3 days.
» Some tablets and eye drops are given and patient goes home for lunch.
» It takes 2 to 3 hours in hospital.
Post operative care after cataract
» Patient is not supposed to touch the eye.
» Wear the goggles, glasses or plastic eye shield for 24 hrs. for 15 days.
» Patient can talk, move around and watch TV next day.
» No dietary restriction.
» No hair bath for 15 days, but shoulder bath is permitted, and scrubbing the scalp with wet towel is allowed.
» Cooking, shaving, reading can be done in 2 to 3 days.
» Eye drops to be continued for 45 days or as per doctors’ advice.
» Follow up on 1st day, third day and then every 10 or 15 days as per requirement.
» Patient staying out of the town are instructed and treated specially, and allowed to travel.
» Normally, there is no significant pain, redness after the operation.
» If patient develops pain, redness, swelling, stickiness of eye, blurring of vision, immediate consultation is mandatory.
