How is a cataract treated, and how much does it cost?

Cataract is the main cause of blindness not only in Nepal but also in other developing countries. Now people's life expectancy has increased. But due to changes in lifestyle, the problems of diabetes and high blood pressure have increased, which has increased the number of people who have cataracts.

The eye has a natural transparent lens. If the color changes in the lens, or if it becomes thick, the transparency of the eye becomes cloudy, and the reduction in the ability to see is called a cataract. With age, every cell in the body changes. In the same way, the transparent lens in the eye will also change. Kamal Bahadur Khadka says.

What age is more cataract?

This problem appears in most of the people as they get older. Especially after the age of 50, the problem of cataracts is more common. Which is called age-related cataract. Cataracts can also be caused by diseases like diabetes and hypertension. Khadka says.

Sometimes this problem occurs when the eye is injured due to an accident, congenital cataract, due to excessive use of steroids and other eye surgeries. But more than 80 percent of cataract problems occur after age, he says.

What happens if you have cataracts?

Dr. Khadka says, "If you have cataracts, you will have problems such as difficulty seeing and blurring of the eyes. If it is not treated in time, cataracts will also occur later.' He says that after cataracts, the vision of the eyes gradually decreases and there is a fear of losing the vision altogether. If it is not treated in time, complex problems may occur.

What is the treatment?

After cataract, its treatment is surgery. Surgery is the most effective treatment for cataracts. This disease cannot be cured by medicine. After the surgery, it completely heals.

If it is treated on time, 99 percent will be cured. Khadka says. During the surgery, the old lens is removed and an artificial lens is placed. The membrane that covers the lens in the eye is removed by making a small hole and an artificial lens is placed,” he says.

"This surgery is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures and one of the most successful," said Dr. Khadka says, 'This lens is placed through a small membrane. If the membrane breaks, the lens cannot be placed. Surgery with an experienced doctor is not that complicated.

Is the patient discharged on the same day of surgery?

Cataract surgery was done first by making a big wound and putting 7 to 11 stitches and keeping them in the hospital for three to four days. But recently Dr. introduced a new technology for cataract surgery. Khadka says.

Now a very small wound of 2.3 mm is made and the lens is taken out from there and the artificial lens is fixed. When it goes inside the lens, it takes its own size," he says.

The patient is discharged on the same day of cataract surgery. After the surgery, the patient can be discharged after half an hour of bed rest.

How much does the surgery cost?

If lenses made in Nepal and India are used for surgery, the minimum cost is 12,500 rupees. If someone says that he will buy lenses made in American, German and other countries according to his interest, the fee for the lens will be expensive and will cost from 32 thousand to 35 thousand rupees. Cataract surgery takes less than 30 minutes. He says that if the surgery is done by an experienced doctor, it will be done in 10 minutes.