Phacolytic glaucoma (PG) is a form of glaucoma which is caused due to a leaking mature or immature cataract. Inflammatory glaucoma which occurs in phacolysis is a condition which is a result of the leakage of protein within the lens into the capsule of a mature or hyper mature cataract and involves a simple procedure to be cured that is referred to as cataract extraction.The main symptoms of glaucoma include pain in the eye, redness and loss of sight, all of which reduce an individuals independence, in turn, reducing quality of life and an individuals ability fulfill other societal roles (such as driving and reading) as it reduces visual clarity. Phacolysis tends to be more frequently reported in underdeveloped countries because of the lack of resources necessary to treat such as condition. Signs and symptoms
There are a variety of characteristics which indicate that an individual may have phacolytic glaucoma. Within older people, the lens of the eye may appear to be yellow and lose its transparency (becomes cloudy). Once the protein begins to seep into the lens, permanent damage to the lens may be caused as the precipitate in lens impairs vision. Another symptom includes the fading of visual clarity. This symptom makes the eye create an image commonly described to appear as though looking through a waterfall. If the lens becomes completely opaque the individual will become blind, even though the photoreceptor cells are completely functional.
Medical management is commonly used simply to control the inflammation temporarily. The reduction of intraocular pressure can be conducted through the use of a combination of topical and systemic IOP-lowering agents, cycloplegics, aqueous suppressants, hyper-osmotic agents, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Topical steroids also may assist in lowering intraocular pressure and decreasing pain.Previous to cataract surgery a variety of optometrical tests have to be conducted to comprehensively analyse an individuals eye-sight prior to the surgery. A refraction is also conducted to determine how much nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism an individual may have. Additional specific measurements of the eye will be necessary in order to determine the curvature and length of the cornea in order to choose the most effective IOL which will need to be inserted during the surgery.Cataract surgery has become a very simple process which, with modern-day technology, can be conducted in a local anaesthetic procedure in an average time period of 15 minutes. The aim of cataract surgery is to replace the lens within the eye with an artificial lens to clear vision while removing any residue which could cloud vision. The cataract extraction surgery involves four major steps which includes; local anaesthetic, clearing of eye, intraocular lens is inserted and finally the contact lens to protect the eye which dissolves releasing antibiotics.Before major advancements in medical technology, cuts had to be manually made to the lens to conduct cataract extraction surgery, however, with the improvements in technology the LASIK procedure is the main procedure used to conduct cataract surgeries.