Phacoemulsification

The most common technique used for removal of cataract is through Phacoemulsification also known as ‘Phaco’. This surgery takes less than half hour to remove cataract through minimal sedation i.e. local anesthesia (injecting anesthesia around the eye) or by topical anesthesia (applying numbing drops into the patient’s eye).

The procedure evolves around the cornea (eye lens), where the surgeon makes a small incision at the side of the cornea. A small instrument, ultrasonic probe is then inserted into the incision opening, to break up the cloudy lens into the tiny fragments using sound waves. The same probe turns into suction for the broken cataract fragments. With the aid of suction, all the fragments are removed and an artificial lens known as Intraocular Lens Implant (IOL) is planted on the natural lens capsule through a hollowed out tube.