HOW DOES LASER CATARACT SURGERY WORK?

Cataract (cataract, dry cataract) is the leading cause of blindness in Vietnam and the world. The disease causes the patient's vision to decline, the image becomes blurred as if there is a fog in front, the eyes are more sensitive to light,... According to Master, Doctor Nguyen Duc Quang, currently in the world there is no medicine to treat cataract, the only method to cure dry cataract is surgery to replace the artificial lens. Of which, Laser Cataract is the most advanced method today, bringing many benefits to patients.

Master, Doctor Nguyen Duc Quang performs Laser Cataract surgery

What is Laser Cataract surgery?

Cataract Laser Surgery is a modern technique that helps to break up and remove the natural cloudy lens, replacing it with an artificial lens to restore vision to the patient. Master, Doctor Nguyen Duc Quang said that the laser cataract surgery procedure is performed quickly and gently. The incision size and tearing line are set on the Catalys system (the leading device in Cataract Laser Surgery from Johnson & Johnson Group - USA), then the Femtosecond Laser will automatically create the incision, tear the anterior lens capsule and fragment the cloudy lens gently and accurately. The cloudy lens will be suctioned out by the surgeon, then a new artificial lens suitable for the eye condition will be placed in the eye. Master, Doctor Nguyen Duc Quang highly appreciates Cataract Laser surgery because this type of surgery possesses many outstanding advantages such as:

The incision is precise according to the physiological curve of the eyeball, the incision is sharp and heals quickly and limits the risk of infection as well as secondary astigmatism
Astigmatism treatment can be combined during surgery
The ultrasonic wave energy used to aspirate the lens is reduced by up to 50% compared to Phaco surgery, helping to limit post-operative complications.

In addition, the doctor also said that for patients with normal eye structures (cornea, vitreous, retina, ...), the visual prognosis after laser cataract surgery is often positive, bringing good visual results to the patient.

After agreeing on the treatment plan with the specific surgical method and lens type, the patient will go through the following steps:

1. Pre-operative examination

Eye function test to ensure that the eye is not infected and is eligible for surgery.
Blood and urine tests to assess blood sugar levels, screen for infectious diseases.
Internal examination, electrocardiogram in case the patient is over 50 years old or has a history of cardiovascular disease, blood pressure.

2. Surgical preparation

Disinfect the eye area
Apply surface anesthetic to eliminate pain during surgery.

3. The surgical procedure is carried out in 6 steps:

Step 1: Create a small incision on the cornea with a Femtosecond Laser, with the position, depth and length set on the Catalys machine.
Step 2: Open the anterior capsule of the lens with a Femtosecond Laser.
Step 3: Break up the cataract with a Femtosecond Laser.
Step 4: Crush and remove the cloudy lens fragments using the Phaco system.

Step 5: Insert the artificial lens into the eye and fix the position.

Step 6: Disinfect the eye, bandage the eye and finish the surgery.

Postoperative procedure

After the surgery, the nurse will take the patient back to the resting room and assist with the following steps:

Clean the eye area and surrounding area.

Rest for 1 - 2 hours.
Recheck the eye condition before discharge.

The patient needs to follow the re-examination schedule after 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 4 months to evaluate the recovery process of the eye and related problems, as well as promptly detect and handle complications (if any).

Experience with Laser Cataract Surgery at Japan International Eye Hospital

Patient Pham Van Chien undergoes Cataract Laser surgery at Japan International Eye Hospital

As the first unit in Southeast Asia to own the Catalys machine (Johnson & Johnson - USA) for treating cataracts with Laser, Japan International Eye Hospital has successfully restored vision for thousands of patients using the Laser Cataract.

Mr. Pham Van Chien, a cataract patient who underwent Cataract Laser surgery at the Japan International Eye Hospital in June 2024, shared: “The surgery was painless and extremely comfortable, the surgical procedures were simple and only lasted about 10 minutes. My vision was restored from 2/10 to 7/10 in my left eye and from 3/10 to 8/10 in my right eye. If the surgery had been performed earlier, my vision would have been even better. In particular, I am very satisfied with the expertise and surgical skills of Master, Doctor Nguyen Duc Quang.”

Currently, the cost of laser cataract surgery at the Japan International Eye Hospital is being applied from 34 - 78 million VND/eye depending on the type of artificial lens that the patient chooses.