ough they may see light and movement, they will not be able to see the surgery while it is happening, and will not have to worry about keeping their eye open or closed (American Academy of Ophthalmology, 5). After the operation the surgeon places a guard over theeye. After a short time in the recovery room the patient is ready to go home. "Cataract surgery is probably the best rehabilitative operation n all of medicine,"says Dr. Zarbin (Miller, 1996, 51)After cataract surgery, a patients vision might gradually decrease because of a thinmembrane (the posterior lens capsule) within the eye becoming clouded (Larson, 556). The posterior lens capsule is left in the eye during most cataract surgeries because itsupports the implanted lens and is safer for the eye. If the capsule is causing clouding ofvision it may be treated with laser. There can be many other reasons for decreased visionso people should stay in close contact with their ophthalmologist (Larson, 556).Cataract surgery is usually done in less than an hour under local anesthesia. In thefirst form of lens extraction call extracapsular cataract extraction, the surgeon would makean incision where the cornea and sclera meet. Then he would carefully enter through thatincision and open the front of the capsule and remove the nucleus of the lens (AmericanAcademy of Ophthalmology, 3). Finally he would enter with a microscopic instrumentand suction out the soft lens cortex, leaving the capsule in place. Now with the newestform of lens extraction, called phacoemulsification, ultrasound vibrations break apart thecataract. The surgeon then suctions out the small pieces through an incision less thanone-half inch long (Mayo Clinic Health Letter, 1995, 3)The next question one might ask is, when is the laser used? If for some reason theposterior capsule turns cloudy several months or years following the operation. If thiscauses a persons vision to blur, the surgeon can make a painl...
