Interprofessional care Cataracts

Interprofessional care

• Nonsurgical therapy
  • Visual aids 
    • Changing eyewear prescription
    • Reading glasses
    • Magnifiers
    • Increased lighting
• Surgical therapy
  • Preoperative phase
    • History and physical assessment
    • Eye drops
    • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
    • Dilating
    • Dark glasses minimize photophobia
    • Monitor for systemic toxicity
  • Intraoperative phase
    • Cataract extraction is an intraocular procedure
    • An operating microscope is used
  • Phacoemulsification
    • Most common form of cataract surgery
    • Ultrasonic vibrations dissolve lens into fragments that are suctioned out
    • Sutures are not usually required
  • Extracapsular cataract extraction procedure
    • Used for advanced cataracts
    • Entire cataract is removed
    • Sutures are required
    • Recovery is often slower
      • Implementation of intraocular lens
        • Almost all patients have an intraocular lens (IOL) implanted at the time of cataract extraction surgery.
        • The lens of choice is a posterior chamber lens that is implanted in the capsular bag behind the iris.
        • Antibiotics and corticosteroids may be administered after surgery.
  • Postoperative phase
    • Outpatient procedure unless complications occur
    • Antibiotic and corticosteroid eye drops
    • Limiting activities
    • Follow-up visits