Everything you need to know about cataract surgery

Posted on: Mar 8, 2021 | | Written by:

Everything you need to know about cataract surgery

Have you been experiencing a hazy vision of late? If you are over 50 and your vision has gotten cloudy and blurry, cataract can be the reason. Cataract risk increases with age, and the condition is corrected with the help of a surgery. While this may be an expensive affair, you need not worry if you have a health insurance plan .Most healthinsurancepoliciescover the cost of cataract surgery and save the insured from medical expenses. Hence, check online health insurance plans today and cover yourself and your loved ones against cataract and other medical problems.

Causes of a cataract

While age is the most common cause of this condition, one may develop a cataract due to other underlying causes as well. These include:

Increased production of oxidants
Diabetes and other diseases
Ultraviolet radiation
Smoking
Trauma
Radiation therapy
Steroids and other medications

Symptoms of a cataract

The common symptoms of this condition are:

Blurry, foggy, or hazy vision
Increased sensitivity to light and glare
Nearsightedness
Faded colour vision
Trouble seeing clearly at night
Halos around the lights
Double vision

Different types of cataracts

Depending on which part of the lens the cataract develops in, or how it develops, there are five categories:

Nuclear cataract: This type forms in the middle or central zone of the lens. A nuclear cataract may first cause nearsightedness, but gradually the lens turns yellow and clouds your vision. As the condition progresses, the eye lens may become brown and make distinguishing between different colours difficult. This type is associated with ageing.
Cortical cataract: This wedge-shaped cataract occurs in the lens cortex. It starts from the outer edge of the lens and slowly works its way to the centre.
Subcapsular cataract: This cataract starts as a small, opaque area near the back of the lens and on the path of light. It often makes reading difficult, causes glare around lights at night, and makes vision blurred in bright light. It is common in people with diabetes or those taking steroid medications for a long time.
Congenital cataract: This type is present at birth or develops during a child’s first year. A congenital cataract is less common than the other types.
Traumatic cataract: One may develop a traumatic cataract after an eye injury. However, it may take many years for this to happen.

Surgical procedures for cataract

A cataract may worsen over time and make it difficult for you to go about your daily activities. It is when your ophthalmologist may suggest surgery. During the surgical procedure, the cloudy lens inside the affected eye is removed and replaced with an artificial one to restore vision. The different types of surgical procedures are:

Phacoemulsification surgery: This method uses ultrasound waves to break the cataract, for emulsification and aspiration.
Extracapsular surgery: In this method, a long incision is made in the cornea to remove the cloudy part of the lens.

Precautions to take after a cataract surgery

Eyeshield: Cover the operated eye with an eye cap before going to sleep. Clean the eye cap with soap and water every day to prevent infection.
Dark glasses: Wear dark glasses all day to protect your eyes from dust and injury. Make sure you wash them with soap and water regularly.
Wash your face carefully: Follow the doctor’s instructions to clean the operated eye. Wipe the operated eye gently and do not splash any water into it. Avoid using soap on the face.
Bathing: Do not take a head bath for about 3-4 weeks. You can bathe below the neck from the next day of the surgery.
Eye drops and medicines: Use the prescribed eye drops and medications to prevent infection and inflammation.
Take precautions: Do not do any strenuous workout or activityfor about a month. Also, avoid all eye cosmetics and do not drive or fly until your doctor permits.

Foods good for preventing cataracts

Foods packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, and other nutrients help prevent cataracts. Some effective foods are carrots, broccoli, avocados, walnuts, bilberries, eggs, salmon, green tea, and orange juice.

Health insurance for cataract

When you want to use your health insurance to cover cataract surgery expenses, there are certain things that you should know. Most insurance companies cover cataract treatment expenses only after a waiting period of 24 months. ( Read your policy document for complete information) However, in case the underlying cause of your cataract is cancer, this waiting period will not be applicable.

Exclusions:

When you file a claim with your insurance company, your insurer may deny a claim if itisconnecteddirectly or indirectly to any of the following:

If it is related to a war or an act of war, public defence, civil war, revolution, use of nuclear weapons, and similar activities.
If a health condition arises when an insured person breaks or tries to break the law with criminal intent.
If the health condition is due to intentional self-injury, suicide or an attempt to suicide, whether mentally sound or unsound.
If the insured person gets injured during naval, military and air force operations, racing, scuba diving, rock or mountain climbing, and other similar activities of professional or semi-professional nature.
If the health condition arises because of tobacco, drugs, alcohol, and other toxic substances.
If the claim is related to obesity treatment, Parkinson, Alzheimer’s, sleep apnoea, stem cell harvesting, venereal disease, and similar conditions.

Conclusion

A cataract develops when protein builds up in the eye lens and makes it cloudy. Itblocks light from passing through it. Certain inherited genetic disorders may also increase cataract risk. If you or a loved one is dealing with this condition, cataract surgery can help restore vision. Besides, when you have a health insurance plan, you need not worry about the surgical expenses.However, do keep in mind that you can file a claim only if you have completed the waiting period. Also, the condition should not be directly or indirectly attributable to any of the exclusions mentioned in the policy term.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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