Cataract and White areas in the Eye
Myth: A cataract is a growth on the white area of your eye. Fact: Inside our eyes, we have a natural lens. The lens bends light to help us see clearly. The lens should be clear.
The Big Cataract Myth number 8.
Myth: Cataract surgery is unsafe. Fact: Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most highly perfected surgical procedures in medicine, with a more than 98% success rate.
Cataract Myth Number 7
Myth: You have no control over the development of cataracts. Fact: Although everyone will develop cataracts if they get old enough you could postpone it by ‘n few years by wearing sunglasses.
Cataract Facts vs Myths Number 6.
Myth: Cataract surgery is painful and risky. Fact: Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most highly perfected surgical procedures in medicine, with a more than 95 percent success rate.
Cataract Myths Number 5.
Myth: A cataract is a film that grows over the eye, and it can grow back after surgery. Fact: A Cataract is a cloudiness of the crystalline lens inside the eye. When cataracts are treated with surgery the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens. There are many lens options and multifocal lenses can give you spectacle independence in addition to treating the cataracts and giving you clear vision once again.
Cataract Myth Number 4.
Myth: Not everyone gets cataracts. Fact: If we are blessed to live long enough, we will all get cataracts. A cataract is the clouding of the natural lens. The first symptom of the aging of our eyes that will ultimately lead to cataract formation is the need for reading glasses in our 40’s.
Cataract Myth vs Fact Number 3
Myth#3: Cataract surgery is painful. Fact: Most patients claim that cataract surgery is pain-free. The procedure is rendered pain free, as medication is used to maximise your comfort throughout cataract surgery. Both numbing eye drops and a sedative is often used. Even though you are not under general anaesthesia like with other surgical procedures, you are most likely not even going to remember much of your cataract surgery. As your medications wear off after the procedure, you might feel some minor eye discomfort. This can be managed with mild pain medication and eye drops that will be prescribed after surgery.
Cataract Myth vs Fact Number 2
Myth: You cannot fly after cataract surgery. Fact: You can fly the day after cataract surgery
Cataract Myth Number 1:
Myth #1: You have to wear glasses permanently after cataract surgery Fact: Spectacle independence after cataract surgery is possible As with many technologies, like cell phones, technical advances in cataract surgery and implantable lens technology have been rapid. Due to Refractive Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery (RELACS) and multifocal lenses, the optical results after modern cataract surgery have dramatically improved. Based on the scientific literature 90% of individuals who had multifocal lens implants do not require spectacles either for distance, intermediate or near vision. You will however still need them for certain tasks like prolonged reading.
Will my medical aid pay for cataract surgery?
The short answer is: Yes! Cataracts are a PMB (Prescribed Minimum Benefit) condition. This means that medical aids are by law required to cover basic cataract surgery.
