Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye becomes clouded, which results in a decreased vision that gets progressively worse over time. cataracts are a natural process and, thus far, an unavoidable part of aging. Cataract eye surgery involves the removal of the natural, clouded lens of the eye and its subsequent replacement with a clear, artificial lens. Cataract surgery is generally performed with minimal sedation and generally takes less than 30 minutes. Therefore the surgery does not put significant strain on the heart or the lungs. The most common type of cataract eye surgery performed in the U.S. today is an outpatient procedure using a process called phacoemulsification. Cataract surgery alone or combined with trabeculectomy must be considered in the treatment of angle closure glaucoma.

There are two types of cataract surgery:

Phacoemulsification, or phaco.

Extracapsular surgery

Cataract surgery slightly increases the risk of retinal detachment. A cataract surgery poses risks, such as infection and bleeding. So before cataract surgery, your doctor may ask you to temporarily stop taking certain medications which increases the risk of bleeding during surgery.