Chalazion Surgery
Chalazion is the inflammation and obstruction of one or more Meibomian glandsMeibomian glands are located in the eyelids and their function is to secrete substances in the tear film. A chalazion is very obvious; it's a small lump or cyst located under the skin of the eyelid. It's sometimes visible to the naked eye or at least felt when palpated as a small "lump" on the eyelid.
Surgery is performed on all patients with chalazia who have failed conventional treatment. If the lesion persists for more than two months or rapidly increases in size, it is recommended to remove it through a simple procedure.
Currently, cataract surgery is usually performed by microincision (i.e., 2.5 mm hand incisions that do not require sutures) using equipment known as a phacoemulsifier that vibrates at ultrasonic speed to pulverize and aspirate the cataract.
After removing the cataract, the intraocular lens, which is always necessary, is introduced into the eye.
There are many types of intraocular lenses. Spherical lenses allow patients with a high risk of developing good distance vision, but they require glasses after surgery to read. When a condition called corneal astigmatism exists, a toric lens is needed to correct it.
Multifocal intraocular lenses are now also available. They allow adequate vision for both distances and near vision, thus offering patients independence from glasses for both distances (which is achieved with this type of lens in more than 90% of cases). However, not all patients are good candidates for this type of lens, and therefore, careful evaluation is required before surgery.
Furthermore, given the efficacy and safety of modern cataract surgery, you don't necessarily need to have a significant cataract to be a candidate for one of these lenses. In those over 50 or 55 years of age who have significant myopia or hyperopia, even when the lens opacity is incipient, they could be good candidates for a procedure called phacorefractive surgery, which seeks to remove the lens to place a multifocal intraocular lens (using the same technique as cataract surgery) but performed to achieve independence from glasses, in cases where refractive surgery treatment with Excimer laser is not the best option.
The most common cataract in our area is senile cataract, caused by aging and deterioration of lens proteins due to age, but there are also other causes of this disease: metabolic, traumatic, inflammatory, congenital, among others.
Some related diseases are:
- Age-related cataracts
- Cataract due to trauma
- Congenital cataracts
The only definitive treatment available today for cataracts is surgery.
Regular eye exams allow for early detection of cataracts, which prevents the problem from progressing and facilitates treatment.
To accurately evaluate each case and make decisions regarding the aforementioned procedures, it is important to conduct a complete medical history, perform state-of-the-art diagnostic tests, and provide a comprehensive approach to the patient by the ophthalmologist. Remember that each surgery has specific indications, and you should receive sound advice before implanting an intraocular lens.