Table of contents:
- Tests to be done before cataract surgery
- 1. General health examination
- 2. Examination of vision function
- 3. Examination of the external eye
- 4. Examination slit-lamp
- 5. Examination of the inside of the eye
- 6. Measurement of corneal biometry and topography
Surgery is one way to treat cataracts. Although cataract surgery is indeed a minor medical procedure, there are still some medical examinations that must be done before surgery. This is to make it easier for medical personnel to find out your general health condition before the operation is carried out. What types of medical tests are mandatory?
Tests to be done before cataract surgery
1. General health examination
Before performing surgery, an ophthalmologist will work closely with an internal medicine specialist to ensure that your body is in optimal condition when undergoing surgery.
To make sure your body is in good shape, your doctor will ask you to do the following tests:
- heart health test via an electrocardiogram (EKG)
- lung health test with chest x-ray
- blood sugar levels
- bleeding disorders that can be seen from a blood test
Don't forget to tell your ophthalmologist if you are taking blood thinners, prostate drugs (tamsulosin), or you have allergies to certain types of drugs.
2. Examination of vision function
There are several types of examinations that will be done to determine the sharpness of your vision before surgery. The examination will usually be carried out by optometrist (trained health personnel).
- Visual examination using snellen chart (paper bearing the letters you must mention).
- Refraction examination (minus, plus, or cylindrical correction) to help determine the strength of the implanted lens to be used in cataract surgery as well as determine refractive errors in the non-operated eye.
3. Examination of the external eye
This examination will be carried out by an ophthalmologist. Examinations include:
- Check eye movement to see if your eyes are able to move to all sides properly.
- Examination of the pupil (the black part of the eye) can be performed at various levels of light to determine the width of the pupil. This needs to be done in addition to detecting problems that exist in the eye, one of which is also to adjust the type of implanted lens to be used.
4. Examination slit-lamp
This examination will also be carried out by an ophthalmologist using additional tools. You will be asked to sit facing a device (slit-lamp) and then the doctor will check:
- The clear part of the eye (conjunctiva) and cornea to look for signs of infection and signs of previous surgery (if any).
- The front chamber and iris (brown part of the eye) to rule out glaucoma.
- The eye lens to determine the thickness of the cataract and the position of the lens.
5. Examination of the inside of the eye
Before the examination can be done, eye drops will first be given so that the pupil can be dilated. Administering these drops will cause your eyes to become blurry for some time.
Once your pupil has reached a certain width, the doctor will use an instrument called an ophthalmoscope to look inside your eye and evaluate the feasibility of surgery.
6. Measurement of corneal biometry and topography
A biometric examination is done by placing a small pen-like instrument on the black part of your eye, of course, after applying a local anesthetic to your eye, this examination aims to ensure the best size of the implanted lens for your eye.
Meanwhile, corneal topography examination is done especially for those of you who have cylindrical to determine the right toric implant lens.
