Quiet operation decision in cataract

Decision to operate in cataract usually does not need hurry

05/30/2013

Many people show in older age, a clouding of the eye lens, which is referred to as cataract or cataract. The cloudy eye lens is usually a result of the natural aging process and the only effective treatment option is surgery, according to the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). As part of a cataract surgery, the affected person is removed from the cloudy lens and replaced with a new, artificial lens.

As cataracts usually develop very slowly, patients usually have a lot of time to think about the decision to have an operation and, according to the experts of the IQWiG, should also use this time. Thus, the affected can prepare sufficiently for the operation and determine the best time for them. „Whether and when surgery is a personal decision. It depends heavily on how much the visual disturbances limit the self-employment and make everyday life difficult“, explains the IQWiG.

800,000 operations of eye lenses per year
A slight haze of the eye lens that is determined by a specialist and runs until now symptom-free, according to the experts usually requires no surgery.Auch play for the success of the procedure, the timing of surgery not matter. Rather, the decision to undergo surgery should be made dependent on personal impairments and circumstances. „How far the disease has progressed, usually has no effect on how well you see after the operation with the newly inserted lens“, reports the IQWiG. Although the operation can be a bit more difficult when the cataract is already very advanced, but the procedure is in his various variants in this country routine. According to IQWiG, around 800,000 corresponding operations are carried out in Germany every year, whereby these are usually performed on an outpatient basis and take only 20 to 30 minutes. After a few hours, most patients are allowed to return home. In the case of existing comorbidities or foreseeable complications, however, the procedure is more frequently performed in the hospital. If both eyes are cataracts, they will be operated on two different dates.

Determine the date of surgery in consultation with the specialist
As with the progression of the disease „Also, the surveys of the eye can not be performed as accurately“ can, be „It makes sense to have your eyes checked regularly by an ophthalmologist“, reports the independent Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care. Together, this can determine the right time for an operation. Apart from that, IQWiG should focus on questions of occupational and private impairment due to the illness. If, for example, the profession can no longer be exercised or if driving a car becomes too great a risk, this is often the reason for an operation. (Fp)