Prices in Germany are normally 75% below the cost cataract surgery in the US and are individually quoted. They include all medical expenses, the hospital stay, surgeon's fees, operation room fees, anesthesia, anesthesiologist's fees, medicine, nursing, semi-private room, meals, pre-op diagnosis, local phone and English TV. Normally no stay in the hospital is required. Popular variations on the procedure are:

• Definition of Cataract Surgery and Anethesia Preferences
• Types of Cataract Surgery
• Types of Lens Used in Cataract Surgery

Definition of Cataract Surgery and Anethesia Preferences

Cataract Surgery is the removal of the lens of the eye that has developed a cataract. The natural lens is then replaced with an artificial intraocular lens. It is one of the safest and most successful procedures in all of medicine.

Cataract Surgery and a lens implant with local anesthesia with implant of special high quality accommodating lens for superior vision is preferred, but can be done with general anesthesia.

Types of Cataract Surgery

There are two types of surgery that can be used to remove cataracts, extracapsular and intracapsular surgery. Extracapsular surgery consists of removing the lens but leaving the majority of the lens capsule intact. High frequency sound waves (phacoemulsification) are sometimes used to break up the lens before extraction. Intracapsular surgery involves removing the entire lens of the eye, including the lens capsule, but it is rarely performed in modern practice. The lens is then replaced with a plastic lens (an intraocular lens implant) which remains permanently in the eye.

Cataract Surgeries are mostly performed under a local anesthesia and the patient will be allowed to go home the same day. Complications after cataract surgery are uncommon. Many people (up to 50%) can develop a posterior capsular opacification after initial cataract surgery. This is a thickening and clouding of the lens capsule (which was left behind when the cataract was removed) and it can be easily corrected using a laser to make holes in the capsule for the person to see through. Retinal detachment is an uncommon complication of cataract surgery.

Types of Lenses in Cataract Surgery

Previously, polymethylmethacrylate was used as the lens material. Advances have brought about the use of silicone acrylate which is a soft material. This allows the lens to be folded and inserted into the eye through a smaller incision. Acrylic lenses can also be used with small incisions and are a better choice in people who have a history of uveitis or are at high risk of retinal detachment. Acrylic is not always an ideal choice due to its added expense.

Couching was an early form of cataract surgery in which a small probe was inserted in the eye to push the lens down into the posterior chamber.

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The information provided herein is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.

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