Cataract surgery in Türkiye

Cataract surgery, or what is known in some Arab countries as cataract or cataract surgery

What are cataracts?

A cataract is a clouding of the lens within the eye, causing vision loss that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or corneal refractive surgery such as LASIK.
Although cataracts can be frightening, modern cataract surgery can restore sight lost from cataracts — and often reduce your dependence on glasses, too.
Most cases of cataracts are related to the aging process and are common among the elderly.

What are the symptoms of cataracts?

The following are some changes in vision that you may notice if you have cataracts:
having blurry vision
double vision (when you see two images instead of one)
being more sensitive to light
having trouble with night vision, or that you need more light when Seeing bright colors is read
as dull or yellow instead

What causes cataracts?

Aging is the most common cause. This is due to the natural changes that occur in the eye that begin around the age of 40. This is when the normal proteins in the lens begin to break down. This is what makes the lens cloudy. People over 60 years of age begin to darken their lenses. However, vision problems may not occur until years later.
Other reasons you might develop cataracts include:
Having parents, brothers, sisters, or other family members with cataracts
Diabetes
Having an eye injury, eye surgery, or radiation treatments on the upper body
Being exposed to a lot of time in the sun , especially without sunglasses that protect your eyes from harmful UV rays.
Use of certain medications, such as corticosteroids, which may cause early formation of cataracts.
Most age-related cataracts develop gradually. 
Other cataracts can develop more quickly, such as those in younger people or people with diabetes. 
Doctors cannot predict how quickly cataracts will develop.

Cataract treatment

Cataracts can only be removed with surgery.

If your cataract symptoms don’t bother you much, you don’t have to have your cataract removed. You may just need a new prescription for glasses to help you see better. You should consider surgery when a cataract is preventing you from doing the things you want or need to do.

Fundamentals of cataract surgery

In cataract surgery, the lens inside the eye that has become cloudy is removed and replaced with an artificial lens (called an intraocular lens), to restore clear vision.

The procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis and does not require an overnight stay in a hospital or other care facility.

Most modern cataract procedures involve using a high-frequency ultrasound device that breaks up the cloudy lens into small pieces, which are then gently removed from the eye using suction.

This procedure, called phacoemulsification or phacoemulsification, can be performed with smaller incisions than previous cataract removal surgical techniques, promoting faster healing and reducing the risk of cataract surgery complications, such as retinal detachment.

After all cloudy lens remnants have been removed from your eye, your eye surgeon inserts an intraocular lens, placing it securely behind the iris, in the same position as the natural lens. (In special cases, the IOL may be placed in front of the iris and pupil, but this is less common.)

The surgeon then completes the cataract removal and intraocular lens implant by closing the incision in your eye (stitches may or may not be required), and a protective shield is placed over the eye to keep it safe in the early stages of cataract surgery recovery.

What to expect with cataract surgery

Before surgery:

The surgeon will measure your eye to determine the appropriate focusing power for your IOL. You will also be asked about any medications you are taking. You may be asked not to take some of these medicines before surgery.

Eye drops medications may be prescribed to start before surgery. These medications help prevent infection and reduce swelling during and after surgery

Surgery day:

The ophthalmologist may ask you not to eat any solid food at least 6 hours before the surgery.

Cataract surgery can be done in an outpatient setting or in a hospital. Here’s what will happen

• Your eye will be numbed with eye drops or with an injection around the eye . You may also be given medicine to help you relax.
• You will be awake during the surgery. You may see light and movement during the procedure, but you will not see what the doctor is doing with your eyes.
• The surgeon looks through a special microscope. It makes small incisions (cuts, created by a laser or a blade) near the edge of the cornea. The surgeon uses these incisions to access the lens in your eye. Using very small tools, he or she will loosen the cataract lens and remove it. Then you put a new lens in its place.
• Usually the surgeon will not need to close the incisions closed. These “self-sealing” cracks will eventually close on their own over time. A shield will be placed over the eye to protect it while you recover from surgery.
• You will rest for 15-30 minutes. Then you will be ready to go home

Recovering from cataract surgery

Days or weeks after surgery:

• You will have to use eye drops after the surgery. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions for using these drops.
• Avoid getting soap or water directly in the eyes.
• Do not rub or press on your eye. Your ophthalmologist may ask you to wear glasses or a shield to protect your eyes.
• You will need to wear eye protection when sleeping.
• Your ophthalmologist will talk to you about how active you will be immediately after surgery. It will tell you when you can safely exercise, drive, or do other activities again

What are the risks of cataract surgery?

Like any surgery, cataract surgery carries risks of problems or complications. Here are some of those risks:

• Eye infection.
• Bleeding in the eye.
• Persistent swelling in front or inside the eye.
• Swelling of the retina (the nerve layer at the back of the eye).
• Retinal detachment (when the retina is lifted from the back of the eye).
• Damage to other parts of the eye.
• Pain that does not improve with over-the-counter medications.
• vision loss
• The IOL implant may become loose, and move out of position.

Cataract surgery will not restore vision lost from other eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy.

Your ophthalmologist will talk to you about the risks and benefits of cataract surgery.

Laser cataract surgery

Recently, a number of femtosecond wavelength lasers — similar to the lasers used to create the corneal flap in all-laser LASIK — have been approved by the FDA for use in cataract surgery.

These lasers have been approved for the following steps in cataract surgery, reducing the need for surgical blades and other portable instruments:

Make corneal incisions to allow the surgeon access to the lens

Conventional cataract surgery versus laser-assisted cataract surgery

Which one is right for you?

Are you planning to have cataract surgery in Türkiye(cataract)? 
If this is the case, you may have two surgical options:
conventional cataract surgery.
Laser assisted cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery in traditional Türkiye is one of the most common surgeries. 
It is recognized as safe and effective. 

How do you decide the type of cataract surgery?

Talk to your ophthalmologist about which one is best for you. 

How is cataract surgery performed?

Phacoemulsification is the name for traditional cataract surgery. 
The surgeon makes a small incision in the cornea manually using a scalpel. A small tool is inserted through this hole. 
 The lens of the eye is housed in a capsule-shaped capsule. 
The surgeon creates a round opening in the capsule. 
Then he inserts a pen-shaped probe through that hole. 
The probe applies sound (ultrasound) waves to break up the cloudy lens. 
Then the surgeon will absorb the broken pieces. 
Replaces your lens with an artificial   intraocular lens (IOL)   The surgeon closes the incision with a special fluid and self-seal. 
Stitches are usually not required.

How is laser-assisted cataract surgery performed?

A camera/ultrasound device is placed over your eye to map its surface. 
It also collects information about your lens. 
The device sends the results to a computer that programs the laser beam. 
This tells the laser the exact location, size, and depth of the incisions. 
The surgeon uses a laser to make an incision in the cornea and open up the capsule. 
He may also use energy from a laser to soften the cataract. 
The ultrasound probe breaks the lens into pieces and sucks them out. 
Then the surgeon places the lens inside the eye. 
Again, the incision usually does not need stitches.

Who can ophthalmologists perform laser-assisted cataract surgery?

Medicare guidelines specify who can have this laser surgery. 
Only some patients are eligible.
The surgeon can offer laser-assisted cataract surgery if:
They find   astigmatism   during the consultation, and you want to correct it during cataract surgery.
In this case, the laser creates specific slits in the cornea to reshape it. 
This corrects your astigmatism.
The surgeon can also offer laser surgery if you choose   a differentiated lens . 

Laser cataract removal allows surgeons to better see and map the lens capsule. 
It also helps them position the opening in the capsule more precisely. 
This allows for better centering of the IOL. implanted

Can you perform laser cataract surgery if you do not meet the conditions?

If you do not meet at least one condition, the surgeon will not be able to offer you laser surgery or get results from it.

Which type of cataract surgery has the shortest recovery time?

The recovery time for both types of surgery is the same. 
Some people can see clearly almost immediately. 
Others may find their vision clears within a week or two. 
Full recovery from cataract surgery takes about 3 months.

What are the benefits offered by laser cataract surgery?

Using a laser allows the surgeon to make precise incisions in less time. 
It can improve accuracy and consistency. 
In some cases, lasers can provide more correction than traditional surgery.
However, studies do not show that laser surgery leads to fewer complications. 
Also, studies have not found that laser surgery provides better results. 
Your outcome depends greatly on the skill and experience of your surgeon.

What do you want from cataract surgery?

Replacing cloudy lenses and wearing glasses for some things is ideal for many people. 
For others, the goal is to get the best possible vision without glasses. 
You and your surgeon can decide which option is best for you based on your needs.

Cataract surgery in Türkiye

Many patients come to Türkiyefor cataract surgery in Türkiye

REHABTÜRK Services provides  treatment services to patients in addition to transportation, accommodation and full trip coordination services.
Cataract surgery in Türkiye requires an average of 3 nights of stay in Istanbul.

 Patients receive intensive post-operative care to check their condition and satisfaction after cataract surgery in Türkiye. In addition, our patient support team is available 24/7.

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