# For surgical removal, are cataracts scraped or "peeled" off? Other eye-surgery techniques? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 8, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801 "2016-06-08T01:57:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/1 "2016-06-08T01:57:42Z")
See query. Re “scraping” I was surprised to learn that calcium deposits on the eye, my eye, in fact, would be scraped off, at first, when they began to hurt too much. (“…intraocular calcium [subsequent to phthisis bulbi] may be deposited within band keratopathy, _a cataractous len_s, bony metaplasia of the RPE, sclera, a gliotic neural retina, or optic nerve.” [Cite](http://www.djo.harvard.edu/print.php?url=/physicians/kr/944&print=1) Ital added) Just like the dental hygienist with her metal thingie. Are cataracts removed by peeling them off or scraping them away? Any other opthamologic surgery procedures where scraping/abrasion is the primary mechanical process? ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/2 "2016-06-08T02:00:44Z")
Cataracts are inside the lens. A small hole is pierced and the clouded lens drawn out. At least that’s the way my doctor described it. You can read a fuller explanation [here.](http://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-cataract-surgery) ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/3 "2016-06-08T03:16:46Z")
I think they mostly use lasers to vaporize cataracts and other unwanted eye parts these days. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/4 "2016-06-08T04:44:38Z")
The most common approach now is pseudophakic intraocular lens implant - they remove and replace your lens, cataract and all, and replace it with a plastic lens. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/5 "2016-06-08T06:08:53Z")
Is the OP describing the same thing as a cataract, or something else? He mentions it getting too painful eventually. I’ve never seen it mentioned before that cataracts are painful. Sounds like OP is describing something else. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/6 "2016-06-08T08:27:25Z")
In my cataract surgery, the entire lens was removed and replaced. And prior to (and during) the surgery there was no pain. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/7 "2016-06-08T11:36:39Z")
The usual trick is to emulsify the lens. A small incision is made - either by hand or with a laser, to allow access behind the cornea. The lens is turned to a pureé (phacoemulsification) with an ultrasonic vibrating tool that also vacuums it out. Use of a femptosecond laser allows the lens to be cut in 3D - and a cylinder of lens is removed from the eye. Otherwise the entire lens is emulsified. The psuedophakic lens is then inserted into the void and anchored at the sides. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/8 "2016-06-08T14:11:50Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > The lens is turned to a pureé (phacoemulsification) with an ultrasonic vibrating tool that also vacuums it out. A pretty cool process to see from the inside - kind of like being inside a lava lamp (the happy drugs made it a cool experience, as opposed to “holy crap, someone is sucking out my eye”). ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/9 "2016-06-08T15:29:37Z")
Unless the numbing agents don’t quite work in time, in which case the happy drugs are not nearly happy enough - more like a bad trip. (LASIK for me, not cataracts) ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/10 "2016-06-09T01:45:51Z")
[Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUCoQzui704) is an actual cataract operation. If normal, this takes about 6 minutes. Your eye is deadened, but you are not put out. The person being operated on (me in two instances) is not aware of what is going on except the surgeon and staff. Bob ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/11 "2016-06-09T04:24:59Z")
I had the emulsification too (although I missed the lava lamp bit - maybe I was _too_ happy. :D) As we left the place later, I looked up and said to **Zyada** , “Hey! Trees got _leaves_!” I hadn’t seen much more than a green blur for quite a while, so that was exciting. The best of it is that I had it done by Dr. Who. (He was using a pseudonym: Dr. Hu, but I never saw him again during the follow-up appointments.) ---
**Author:** ![svd678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/12 "2016-06-11T03:46:47Z")
OP: to repeat - calcium deposits, peeling and scraping have nothing to do with cataracts. The eye has a lens of a clear substance which sometimes becomes cloudy and yellowish, interfering with clear vision. A cataract is not something scraped off a lens, it is a change in the lens itself. The lens is inside the cornea, the bump on the front of the lens. In the old days they put a slit in the cornea and lifted it and took the unclear lens out whole, with tweezers. That required the lens to be “ripe,” that is, hardened. Nowdays they make a smaller incision and vacuum the softer lens. You are conscious and there is no pain; you can go home in a short time - minutes. ---
**Author:** ![svd678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-surgical-removal-are-cataracts-scraped-or-peeled-off-other-eye-surgery-techniques/756801/13 "2016-06-11T03:48:39Z")
“front of the eye” not “lens”