Can one get rid of glasses after Cataract surgery? - Dr. Elankumaran P

Yes, it is possible to completely remove the glasses after cataract surgery. A cataract is a normal lens in the body getting opacified. So in a cataract surgery we just replace the lens, remove the opacity lens and replace it with an artificial lens. This artificial lens is called IOL or Intra Ocular Lens. Previously we were using Monofocal IOL’s. The concept of monofocal IOL is it is having only one foci. So the person is able to see either the distance or the near clearly. For the rest of the distances he had to wear the glasses. When you look at the need of the patients, the patient looks a distance, is called distant vision. He also looks a near and is called near vision. There is intermediate vision, that is when you are looking at something in front like looking at a computer. We have special lenses called Multifocal IOL or trifocal IOL’s which address these concerns and which give perfect vision for distance, the intermediate and the near.in certain patients’ there is something called a s astigmatism, is seen in 20 – 30 % of the population. This means that there are some planes or axis which has a slightly different power than rest of the planes in the eye. So a special type of lens called toric IOL’s are used. In some patients we use a combination of toric IOL’s and Multifocal IOL’s to get total freedom from glasses. Residual power is what is remain after a cataract surgery. These patients’ power can be corrected by what is called as piggy back lenses or sulcus fixated lenses or with the help of a laser or by simply exchanging the IOL. In short nowadays, we can provide complete freedom after cataract surgery. But for these an accurate lens power calculation is a must. We used the Touch method which is called ultrasound biometry. Nowadays we use a non-touch method ,which is called the optical biometer which uses laser and calculates the lens power which as to be implanted into the eye.