When the normal and clear lens of your eyes start clouding, that condition is called cataract. Eyes have proteins and when they start to form clumps, they prevent the lens from sending a clear picture to the retina. The job of the retina is to convert this picture into a signal and send it to the optic nerve. This is then passed to the brain, which recognizes the images. When afflicted by cataract, you feel as if you are looking through a foggy window, where the image is not clear. This is going to make it difficult for you to read, see any kind of expression or drive a car. You need to get started with the treatment as soon as you notice the symptoms of cataract.
It develops really slowly and does not seem to have any effect on your eyesight at the early stage. But as time passes, this problem begins interfering with your vision and your daily activity is affected. Yet there are ways to avoid high-cost cataract surgeries.
Treatment options for cataract
There are a number of cataract treatment options available. Most people think that the surgery alone can treat this eye condition. Since cataract surgery cost is quite high, you should consider the other options as well. There are other treatment options available which are low cost.
There are non-surgical methods that can help in improving the vision of the affected. In a surgery, the clouded lens is replaced with new ones.
Non-Surgical options for cataract treatment
The first step towards the treatment of Cataract is to improve the quality of your vision. When you observe cataract symptoms for the first time, then you will experience blurry or cloudy or double vision, sensitivity to light, reduction in night vision, and also problems with your eyewear. But when you make certain changes, then you will be able to observe improvement in the symptoms. You can try new glasses after consulting your doctor, anti-glare glasses can also be helpful, and some people go with magnifying glasses as well.
Along with changes to the eyewear, many doctors suggest certain coatings and tints to the eyewear for better vision and to improve the symptoms of cataract. Eyewear is affordable and low cataract treatment cost. Make sure that you are placing the reading lamps in the right position in order to avoid worsening the symptoms of cataract. It is also advisable to wear a hat when you are outdoors so that you protect yourself from the glare and reduce other cataract symptoms. When compared to the cost of a cataract surgery, this cataract treatment cost is quite low.
Surgical cataract treatment options
Some small changes in the lifestyle will improve the symptoms to a great extent and can also help in delaying the cataract surgery process. But when this eye condition is affecting your vision and your daily activities, then it is better to go with the cataract surgery.
There are different kinds of cataract surgery and the surgery cost will depend on the option you choose from the available ones.
Phacoemulsification
Also called as Phaco, is a kind of surgical procedure to treat cataract. This is the most common kind of surgery performed these days. With the help of an ultrasonic equipment, which is operated at a very high speed, an incision is made in the eye. This will send ultrasound waves which are going to soften the lens of the eyes and hence the softened lens is removed by a suction procedure. An artificial lens is placed and stitched to make normal. As the incision is small, just one stitch may be required.
Extracapsular cataract surgery
It is a similar procedure as above but a larger incision is made and requires more stitches. Here, the lens is removed without breaking it, in one go. Healing time is more and so are other complications. Hence, this is a less commonly used surgery method for cataract.
Intracapsular Cataract Surgery
A rare surgery, not recommended by most doctors, in which the capsule along with lens is removed a lot more complications than the Extracapsular Cataract Surgery since a very large incision is made.
Lasik eye surgery
This surgery is another good option for a cataract eye problem and other eye concerns. This is a kind of laser refractive surgery. The cost of the Lasik Eye surgery ranges anywhere between $2200 and $3000.
Consult your doctor, to make a choice about the best and most suitable treatment option for you. Make sure you choose the treatment option based on the condition of the cataract or any other eye-related issue or other health conditions. If you are going to opt for the laser cataract surgery, then be informed that the laser cataract surgery cost is definitely higher than all the options listed above.
