Can cataracts be removed from the eyes using laser?
No. Not in any practical sense. The cataract is the cloudy lens inside the globe of the eye. A laser cannot polish up the lens and make it clear. Nor can it disintegrate the lens without damaging other eye tissue. While an incision can be made with a laser, and while lasers can and are used to cut secondary membranes in cataract surgery, a hole must still be made in the globe of the eye to extract the cloudy lens and put in a clear prosthetic lens. The lens is often broken up using ultrasound, but not lasers.
Lasers are often used to clear up posterior capsular cloudiness after cataract surgery. That procedure is called Yag Laser Capsulotomy.
QtM, MD
friend QtM,
thanks for this answer. my opthalmologist told me last week that i have a cataract developing in my left eye, and will eventually need to have this procedure done.
lh
Oi, Dr. Quad’s post nearly made me feint. (I don’t do eyeballs well).
Anaolgy for cataracts: Crack open and egg and dump it in the bowl. See how the egg white is pretty much a clear goo and not white at all? Now dump it in a hot frying pan. As it cooks, it turns cloudy then solidifies to an honest to Og white.
That’s almost exactly what cataracts are like, and why you see catracts so much more in very sunny places like Australia – the lenses are mostly water and protein. When the proteins start to degenerate you get white globs that disperse light making stuff look cloudy or like you’re trying to look through wax paper. (At leeast the most common for of catracts, nuclear cataracts, work this way.)
While lasers might be used for some incisions as Dr. Quad described, they are not used like Lasik which uses a cool UV beam to remove teensy weensy bits of tissue from the cornea to reshape it. Sometimes after the initial incision for cataract surgery ultrasound or a laser is used to break up the old, yucky lens to remove it. Sometimes they just remove it as is.
Lasers in other treatments like Lasik are used quite differently. Lasik UV beams are sorta used to sculp your cornea. almost feints again
For cataracts, usually you get have the lens removed and replaced. As your opthamologist explained, it’s usually a very short process, done under a local anesthetic, and results are noticeable almost immediately.
Plastic intraocular lenses (IOLs), the prosthetic replacements are getting pretty danged cool these days. You can see at all distances now (they used to not be so great in that respect) and there are new ones help to block out damaging UV rays to help keep your retina healthier.
You’ll be like the Six Million Dollar Man and his fancy eyeball! Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch – “Look! I can see the Mars lander!”
Piece of cake, in the absences of the unforseen/complications.
Arrive at Eye Center 6:00 AM, pre op formalities and preparations.
Surgery at 7:00 AM, concious throughout procedure, no pain. Seven minutes all told. Out of recovery about 8:30. A light snack. Received instructions from Dr. Do nothing strenuous, take it easy the rest of the day.
Second eye about the same. Asked about driving the next day and that was OK but he wanted to see me at 8:00 AM. All went well for both eyes. Easiest of any surgery of the past. No comparison to 50-60 years ago!
friend spingears
my thanks to you as well. you are very reassuring
lh