Cataract surgery is one of the most successful medical procedures today.
The surgery entails removal of the existing clouded lens and replacement with a plastic lens implant ( the intraocular lens). The surgery is performed done under local anesthesia. The eye is always numbed completely with an anesthetic and a microscope is used to provide a magnified view of the eye. A small incision is made, and the front surface of the catract is opened to allow access to its interior. The clouded tissue is then removed, leaving the back of the lens in tact. This is done using either a mechanical device, called a phacoemulsifier or manually with extracapsular instruments. The new artifical lens is inserted and the incision closed.