These disturbances disappear in a few weeks. In western countries the cloudy lens is now removed piece by piece through a very small opening in the cornea by sucking the pieces through a thick needle like instrument. B. A plastic lens is put into the eye to replace the removed lens. After the cataract surgery many patients see nearly as well as they saw in their younger years, some other patients see only a little bit better than before the operation. If there are changes in the retina or the optic nerve the vision will not be clear even if the cloudy lens has been removed.
Cataract surgery is usually uneventful.
Since the person with cataract is often elderly and may have several diseases, it is wise to ask the medical doctor whether an examination before the surgery is needed to make sure that there is nothing that might cause problems during the surgery. After the surgery the eye should not be touched or rubbed. Therefore it is good to cover it with a shield for the night.