Question:
Why wouldn't the ultrasound device, that is powerful enough
to emulsify the lens, cause a whole lot of shakin' and
bakin' of the vitreous?
Answer:
The ultrasound breaks up the cataract but all this is done in waht is caled the
anterior segment of the eye and floaters are in teh posterior segment. Now,
many patients are more aware of their floaters after the cataract is removed
because they can see them better without their cloudy lens in the way.
The surgeon may feel that the PE may require too much power or energy to
break apart a hard cataract and that this can cause extra trauma to the eye
and much more than a straight ECCE will cause.
PE uses energy to break apart the cataract (sort of like a mini sound wave
jack hammer) and then the pieces are aspirated (sucked) out of the eye. It
is a very clean and less traumatic way to take out a soft cataract, but ECCE
may be better for a hard one. ECCE basically takes the whole lens out in one
piece.
