Cataract Surgery in Turkey, Prices of Istanbul Clinics 2024

What is cataract?

Cataracts, one of the world's leading causes of blindness, are a common age-related eye disease. It is manifested by a progressive clouding (opacification) of the crystalline lens, the natural lens of the eye that normally focuses light on the retina. 

This opacification leads to a progressive deterioration of vision, resulting in blurred vision, increased sensitivity to glare, and altered color perception. Unlike other vision problems, cataracts cannot be corrected with eyeglasses.

Causes of cataract

Age is the main risk factor for developing cataracts, mainly due to the natural aging of the lens.

However, many other factors can accelerate the onset of cataracts. These include:

• Genetic predisposition.
• Environmental factors, such as prolonged exposure to industrial pollutants or ultraviolet rays.
• Eye trauma.
• Certain eye diseases (glaucoma, nearsightedness, uveitis).
• Diabetes.
• Prolonged treatment with corticosteroids.
• Kidney disease.
• Mineral deficiencies.

Cataract surgery - Intraocular implants

In the absence of medical treatment, the only treatment for cataracts is surgery. Cataract surgery with an intraocular implant must be performed early to prevent the disease from progressing to blindness.

The procedure is performed under local anesthesia in a sterile operating room. The surgeon makes a small incision in the cornea. The cataract is then broken into several fragments with an ultrasound instrument, and the lens is removed with a probe and replaced with an artificial lens (implant). The choice of implant depends on the anatomical characteristics of each patient's eye.

There are several categories of intraocular implants, including:

• Monofocal implants.
• Multifocal implants.
• Accommodative implants.
• Toric implants.

Phacoemulsification cataract surgery

Phacoemulsification is the gold standard in cataract surgery. The cloudy lens is removed extracapsularly by ultrasound through a tiny incision in the cornea.

This method, which is constantly evolving in Turkey, offers several advantages:

• Precision and efficiency: Ultrasound gently fragments and aspirates the lens, making the procedure fast and precise.
• Minimal incisions: Incisions are becoming smaller, reducing the risk of complications and promoting faster healing.
• Personalization: Customized intraocular implants fit each eye perfectly, ensuring optimal vision after surgery.
• Comfort: Local anesthesia and a short surgery time make the procedure very well tolerated.
• Safety: The risk of complications is low, and the technique has been mastered by ophthalmic surgeons in Turkey.

In addition, certain stages of the surgery, such as capsulotomy, lens fragmentation, and corneal incision, are assisted by the femtosecond laser.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery

Eye surgery has been revolutionized by the introduction of the femtosecond laser. The femtosecond laser emits ultra-short pulses of light that allow the lens to be fragmented with extreme precision and automation, a critical step in cataract surgery. 

Although this technology offers undeniable advantages in terms of precision, it also has its limitations: high cost, longer operation time, and increased complexity of the procedure, both for the surgeon and the care facility.
 

Lanosterol: Eye drops to treat cataracts

Scientists are developing a non-surgical treatment for cataracts, an eye drop called lanesterol.

The next step will be to test these eye drops on humans. If the effects are positive, it would be a very interesting alternative to cataract surgery. The latter involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an implant.

Lanosterol is a naturally occurring steroid that has a physicochemical action that restores opacified lens proteins. Experimental evidence remains to be demonstrated in humans. This treatment may become an alternative to surgery, which is currently the only effective treatment.