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Krembil Neuroscience Centre (KNC)
Donald K. Johnson Eye Centre (DKJ) :
General Ophthalmology
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The General Ophthalmology Unit at the Donald K. Johnson Eye Centre performs the largest number of cataract operations in the country.
The General Ophthalmology Unit is very involved in the teaching of trainees, at the medical student and ophthalmology resident level. In addition, many elective students from around the world visit our department every year.
What is a cataract?
A cataract is an opacity or loss of transparency of the crystalline lens of the eye. The crystalline lens is like the lens of a camera and is important for focusing the image clearly on the retina. Most cataracts are caused by age related changes and a significant number of people over 60 years old will have some degree of cataract formation. Other causes of cataract formation include trauma, eye inflammation, steroid usage, diabetes mellitus.
What are the symptoms?
The common symptoms of cataracts include blur vision, glare, increasing shortsightedness or double vision in the affected eye. In rare cases, children may rarely have cataracts and this may be an inherited condition or due to an underlying metabolic condition such as galactosemia.
There are two main types of cataract surgery:
| 1. | Phacoemulsification cataract surgery - commonly performed using an ultrasound probe (called a phacoemulsification machine) through a small entry wound to emulsify the cataract into a semi-liquid solution which is sucked out using the same probe. A foldable synthetic lens is then inserted through the same small wound and normally, no stitches are placed. Wound healing is rapid and the patient can return to work in one or two weeks. |
| 2. | Extracapsular cataract surgery - involves making a large wound with a surgical blade and the lens is removed by expressing the nucleus of the lens through the wound. A non foldable synthetic lens is placed into the eye and the wound is then closed with about 5 – 7 sutures. Wound healing takes longer and visual rehabilitation is slower. |
