6.5.2022
Cataract surgery is the most common surgical procedure on the human body. The eye surgeon can use ultrasound or a laser platform during the procedure. What is necessary to know about the differences between these methods if you plan to undergo surgery?
With increasing age or rarely congenitally, the natural human lens becomes cloudy and loses its transparency and elasticity. The disease affects every second person over the age of 60. As many as 75% of people over the age of 75 suffer from it. Vision becomes hazy and blurred, and colors lose variety. Vision quality is deteriorating. If cataracts are not operated on, they can even cause blindness. Therefore, cataracts are still the most common cause of blindness globally, especially in developing countries.
Ultrasound cataract surgery
This is the most commonly used surgical method, covered by health insurance. Ultrasound can also develop the necessary force in cases where the patient’s lens is already very hard. After anesthesia of the eye with eye drops, the surgeon creates a micro-incision. The ultrasound then assists in breaking the hardened natural lens. An artificial lens then replaces this.
Laser cataract surgery
In 2012, chief surgeon dr. Pavel Stodůlka was the first in Europe to operate on cataracts using the Victus laser platform. The procedure of the surgery is similar to the ultrasound method. However, the laser process is gentler and faster, and healing is quicker thanks to high accuracy. Laser assists in cataract surgery at the Gemini Eye Clinics in Zlín and Prague. The patient pays CZK 9,500 per eye or CZK 5,000 in the MULTI package for the laser-assisted procedure.
Cataract surgery in a nutshell
- painless outpatient surgery
- local anesthesia with eye drops
- the procedure takes approximately 10-20 minutes
- stitchless micro-cuts for faster healing
- quick return to everyday life and activities
- ultrasound operation covered by the insurance company in full
- possibility to choose from a whole range of premium intraocular lenses that can get rid of reading glasses, at a distance, even at medium distances
