Cataracts: What, Why and How are they treated?

 

A cataract is a medical condition that causes many cases of blindness around the world. Often cataracts are caused by aging.

In fact, what is a cataract? The word cataract itself comes from Greek, cataract, that means a waterfall.

The reference of ’waterfall’ is because when someone has cataracts, the eyes become blurry like looking behind a waterfall.

KNOW WHAT CATARACTS ARE

The normal eye lens is able to transmit light from the cornea to the retina, so that the person can see objects clearly.

The largest component of the eye lens consists of water and protein. Some of these proteins can harden to block the light from entering. As a result, the view becomes blurry, causing glare or double vision.

Cataracts are a medical condition that occurs when the normally clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy, blocking light from entering the eye. If left unchecked, cataracts can cause the individual to experience permanent blindness.
 

The good news is that cataracts are included in blindness that can be avoided. This means that cataracts can still be overcome and the only way is surgery.

 

Why Can Cataracts Occur?

Cloudiness of the lens of the eye is caused by the natural aging process. This is the reason why cataracts are often associated with an old person's disease.

As we get older, the clear lens of the eye will turn cloudy. This turbidity makes the incoming light not to be refracted right on the retina.

Even though it is synonymous with the elderly, it does not mean that cataracts cannot attack young people. Cataracts can be caused by several risk factors such as trauma, drug side effects, high myopia, congenital and diabetes.

Cataracts can occur in one or both eyes and usually develop slowly.

Cataracts can cause sufferers to experience a decrease in quality of life due to loss of vision if not treated immediately.

How to Treat Cataracts Properly?

Considering that cataracts are a degenerative disease related to age, almost everyone who has entered old age will experience cataracts.

Until now there has been no proven effective cataract treatment, apart from surgery. Treatment for cataracts includes surgical removal of the lens and replacing it with an artificial lens (IOL: intraocular lens) so that the patient can see clearly again.

Indications for cataract surgery can be carried out depending on the patient’s needs. When cataract sufferers feel that their eyesight is getting worse and interfering with daily activities, surgery can be carried out immediately.

Before the operation is carried out, the patient needs to check with the doctor to examine the condition of the eye as a whole.

Cataract surgery will make the patient able to see objects better, even making it possible to get sharp vision in most surgeries.

Types of cataract surgery are generally divided into two:

  1. Extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE): manual incision around 10-12mm to remove the cloudy lens. This procedure takes about 4-6 stitches and takes longer to heal.
     
  2. Phacoemulsification or phaco: small incision in the cornea (2 - 2.75 mm). The operation uses a machine that emits ultrasonic waves to break up the lens cloudy eye and sucking out of the eyeball. This technique generally has a relatively short healing time.

Cataract Surgery at KMN EyeCare

Cataract surgery with phacoemulsification technique is a very popular procedure today.

KMN EyeCare, as the best eye hospital and eye clinic network in Indonesia (awarded as the best choice of customers in an exclusive survey conducted by SWA Magazine & Business Digested in 2022) provides cataract surgery procedures with phacoulsification technique for the patient’s eyes and vision to be clear back to normal.

KMN EyeCare uses Centurion technology from Alcon and Signature from Johnson & Johnson (both from the United States), which are the latest phacoemulsification machines with high profile safety profiles so that the cataract surgery process becomes smooth, responsive and efficient.

To ensure the best results, KMN EyeCare only offers high quality implantable lenses/IOLs from Alcon, Johnson & Johnson and Zeiss. The various implant lens options offered at KMN EyeCare are able be selected according to the needs of each patient.

Not only for the IOL, KMN EyeCare also provides high-quality consumables (BHP) and well-guaranteed device sterilizers. All of this is done because KMN EyeCare always prioritizes the best medical outcomes and service quality.

KMN EyeCare not only presents advanced technology for eye surgery, but also ophthalmologists who are reliable in their fields. Ophthalmologists at KMN EyeCare undergo fellowship at home and abroad to be able to provide the best treatment for patients. Every patient who undergoes surgery at KMN EyeCare is always accompanied and supervised by an Anesthesiologist before, during and after surgery.

With our advanced technology, experienced ophthalmologists and reliable staff, you should make sure you choose KMN EyeCare as the place to have your cataract surgery.


 

Please contact the Patient Relationship Manager (PRM) for more complete information about cataract surgery using the Phacoemulsification method at KMN EyeCare:

Cataract information at KMN EyeCare South Jakarta: +62 811-1566-883, +62 811-1096-688

Cataract information at KMN EyeCare Kebon Jeruk: +62 811-8691-221, +62 811-1137-023

Cataract information at KMN EyeCare Kemayoran: +62 811-9566-883, +62 811-9566-884

Cataract information at KMN EyeCare Semarang: +62 811-2709-987

Cataract Patient Testimonials at KMN EyeCare

SLAMET RAHARDJO

Wow, I thought it was 6 hours, but it turned out that it only took a few minutes. Thank God everything was suddenly so beautiful.

NURHADIATY HAKIM

I am very grateful that I was allowed to accompany my mother for her cataract surgery process. Now the sight is much, much better.

NINIEK L. KARIM

I thought I hadn’t been in surgery. I’m just saying, so. Alright, Already. I didn’t feel anything.