Modern Cataract Surgery Technique Using Phacoemulsification at Hermina Tangkubanprahu Hospital, Malang

Until now, blindness caused by cataracts is widely suffered by the Indonesian population. The Indra survey conducted nationally showed that the prevalence of cataract sufferers in Indonesia was 1/1000. Cataract is an eye disorder characterized by clouding of the eye lens. A typical symptom is that the patient's vision becomes blurry.

Currently, technology in the world of health has developed and continues to produce new innovations. One of them is Hermina Tangkubanprahu Hospital, Malang, East Java, which handles cataract cases. With the Phacoemulsification cataract surgery method.

Phacoemulsification cataract surgery is a micro-lesion and minimally invasive surgical procedure using ultrasonic waves to break down and then remove cataracts from the eye with the aim of improving the patient's vision.

What is the Purpose of Phacoemulsification Cataract Surgery?

Phacoemulsification or phaco, as surgeons call it, is used to restore vision in patients whose vision has become cloudy due to cataracts.

In the first stage of cataract, the person's vision may be only slightly cloudy because it only affects a small part of the lens or only the part of the eye that focuses light on the retina.

Then, as the cataract gets worse, it can block more light from entering the retina and make vision more blurry. When vision worsens, surgeons will recommend cataract surgery, or phaco, to restore clear vision.

In Phacoemulsification cataract surgery, the doctor will destroy the patient's cloudy eye lens with energy from sound waves (ultrasound), then replace it with a new lens. After surgery, further hospitalization is not required and patients can go home immediately.

What are the Advantages of Phacoemulsification Compared to Other Cataract Surgery?

Phacoemulsification is one of the three main types of surgery used to treat cataracts. Some other cataract operations such as:

Intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE)

The old procedure in manual cataract surgery uses a scalpel to open the cornea and remove the entire lens and lens capsule intact, making it difficult to insert a replacement lens (Intraocular lens/IOL)

Extracapsular cataract extraction (ECE)

The manual cataract surgery procedure is similar to ICCE above but the contents of the lens are only cleaned leaving the lens capsule, so that the replacement lens/implanted lens/IOL can still be installed

What are the benefits of phacoemulsification cataract surgery?

There are several benefits or advantages of Phacoemulsification cataract surgery compared to manual cataract surgery, such as:

A smaller incision (± 1.8 – 2.75 mm) is required to clean the emulsified lens, thereby not only reducing recovery time but also the risk of complications. Phacoemulsification is much quicker (± 10 minutes) to perform than ECCE or SICS

1. The lens capsule is retained, to make it more stable for the replacement lens/IOL
2. No stitches and no eye splints
3. Patients can go home immediately after surgery
4. Faster treatment and recovery
5. Can be done at all levels of cataracts
6. Reduces pain and discomfort after surgery

Apart from the phacoemulsification cataract surgery technique, Hermina Tangkubanprahu Hospital Malang also has other recent innovations with the method of implanting multifocal lenses/IOLs which is most commonly used in developed countries and has begun to develop in Indonesia. This type of IOL allows the patient's vision to return at a young age, namely bright at all distances, both long distances, medium/computer distances and near distances or reading distances, without the aid of glasses at all.

With this modern phacoemulsification cataract surgery technique and multifocal lens/IOL implantation, sufferers do not need to hesitate because with this technique healing is faster, provides better results, is more comfortable and requires no hospitalization so they can immediately return to their activities.

If several symptoms of cataracts appear that become increasingly annoying or get worse, so that the sufferer feels pain in the eyes or has difficulty carrying out daily activities, it is a good idea to immediately see an ophthalmologist at Hermina Tangkubanprahu Hospital, Malang, for further examination and treatment.

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