A cataract is the most common cause of blindness in the world. It is completely reversible. If a person does not wait for the development of complications (such as glaucoma), and the disease is treated in a timely manner, then the pathology disappears completely, forever, without consequences for visual organs. As a result of treatment, vision becomes better than it was in youth since the artificial lens eliminates all refractive errors, such as myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism.
Content
- Phacoemulsification
- Laser treatment
To treat cataracts, the cloudy lens must be removed and replaced with an artificial one. For this purpose, ultrasound and laser technologies are used, which allow performing the intervention in 15 minutes, without hospitalization, through a 1,8 mm incision, without suturing, with minimal risk of complications.
You can go to the University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich, the Charite University Hospital Berlin or the University Hospital Frankfurt am Main.
You do not have to deal with the arrangements of the trip yourself. The specialists of the Booking Health company will take care of all your organizational issues.
Phacoemulsification
Cataract phacoemulsification is the main treatment for this disease. This is a minimally traumatic procedure, which is performed within a single day, without hospitalization and without suturing. The intervention is performed through an incision 1,8 mm long, and therefore wound suturing is not required: this incision closes on its own.
The essence of the method: the lens is destroyed by ultrasound. It turns into liquid and is sucked out of the eye, and an artificial lens is implanted in its place. During intraocular lens implantation, it is folded and straightened inside the eye, which allows it to be placed through a minimal incision.
An intraocular lens is an implant made of a biocompatible material, which consists of two parts: an optical part and a supporting part. The optical part is responsible for focusing the rays of light and providing high-quality vision, and the supporting part allows the artificial lens to be securely fixed inside the eye.
Doctors select lenses individually so that a person has 100% vision after surgery. You will not only get rid of cataracts but also get rid of age-related farsightedness, myopia, and astigmatism. Lenses are monofocal, bifocal of various types, with an extended focus, as well as trifocal, which provide good vision at all three distances: short, middle, and distant.
The method has the following advantages:
- outpatient treatment;
- the operation is performed in 15 minutes;
- no need for sutures;
- vision returns immediately and then gradually improves over several days;
- patients tolerate the operation well, as it passes without pain, under eye drops anesthesia;
- glasses are no longer needed, even if you have had poor eyesight since childhood or have developed age-related visual impairment;
- minimal restrictions in the postoperative period.
Artificial lenses implanted in Germany have a yellow filter that protects the retina from ultraviolet radiation. In addition, new types of lenses allow the patient to see better in low light conditions, which is especially important for drivers.
In some clinics, cataract removal in Germany is performed with femtosecond accompaniment. With a laser, doctors fragment the lens. This manipulation allows them to perform ultrasound phacoemulsification twice as fast. As a result, the risk of corneal edema is reduced and the recovery of patients is accelerated.
Laser treatment
Laser cataract extraction is an alternative to ultrasound phacoemulsification. The advantage of this method is that the lens is destroyed by a non-contact method. This technology is safer for the vitreous and retina. The tip does not heat up and does not burn the tissues of the eye. Depending on the density of the cataract, the destruction of the lens occurs in a few seconds or a few minutes.
The treatment of secondary cataracts often involves the use of a laser. It develops in some patients after the first operation, as a result of clouding of the posterior wall of the lens capsule. In this case, doctors destroy the clouding area with a laser. The technique is more sparing as compared to mechanical removal and it reduces the risk of the following complications:
- macular edema;
- increased intraocular pressure;
- retinal detachment;
- dislocated intraocular lens;
- vitreous herniation.
To undergo cataract treatment in Germany, please use the Booking Health service. Our website provides information on how much is the price of diagnostics and surgery. You are welcome to compare the cost of treatment in different clinics in order to book a medical care program at affordable prices. The specialists of the Booking Health company will help you choose the best ophthalmological clinics in Germany and organize your trip.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Farrukh Ahmed. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Sources:
National Cancer Institute
Cancer Research Institute
Healthline
