Cataract operation

Cataracts cannot be treated with the provision of new glasses or medication but can only be surgically removed. Most people develop a cataract during their lives. Cataract surgery is, therefore, the most common operative procedure worldwide.

The painless operation is performed in our outpatient clinic in the Klinik am Casinoplatz in Berne. The procedure takes approximately 15 minutes. The eye is anesthetized with eye drops – no needles are used. The clouded lens is removed, using ultra-sound or laser, and replaced by an artificial lens. In order to fit the lens, a tiny 2mm incision is made at the outer edge of the cornea. The artificial lens is fitted into the original lens slot (i.e. the capsular bag), so that it is impossible to tell the difference between the two. The artificial lens can correct long or short-sightedness and even astigmatism. In many cases, modern multifocal lenses can provide satisfactory vision at all distances without recourse to corrective glasses (see refractive surgery).