Cataract surgery — for Maccabi members

Definition

In the normal state, the transparent lens of the eye allows light to pass through it unobstructed and reach the retina. In order to ensure a high-accuracy image, the light must pass through the lens undisturbed. Therefore, clouding of the eye's lens (cataract) causes a disruption of the passage of light and causes impairment of vision. Cataract is a very common condition, prevalent mainly in older age. It should be noted that the clouding of the lens that characterizes cataract may develop in both eyes, but usually one eye is affected more than the other. The treatment of choice for cataract is cataract surgery. This is a procedure in which the eye's lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens.

Symptoms

As noted, most signs of cataract develop in older age. Following the development of cataract, the quality of vision deteriorates. In light of this, most patients report that they feel blurred vision or clouded vision. There are additional manifestations of cataract, such as a change in color vision, difficulty focusing vision and an increased need to change the prescription in glasses. Likewise, cataract can affect the quality of vision due to changes in the effect of light intensity. For example, patients will have difficulty seeing well when they are under dim light or when the light is very bright.

Diagnosis

Usually, cataract can be identified in a relatively simple physical examination – especially in a very advanced cataract. However, in most cases, in order to diagnose cataract reliably, a slit lamp (slit lamp) must be used by a specialist eye doctor.

Prevention and treatments

To this day, no effective ways have been found to prevent the development of cataract through preventive treatments of various kinds. But it should be noted that a link has been found between smoking and a faster development of cataract. Therefore, quitting smoking can lower the chances of suffering from cataract.

As written earlier, the treatment of choice for cataract is surgery. However, most patients diagnosed with cataract are diagnosed at a relatively early stage of the disease, without a noticeable disturbance in vision quality. In such cases, the treating physician may decide that it is too early a stage to perform surgery. Cataract surgery is performed when the patient suffers from significant visual impairment and when there is significant room for improvement in vision quality after the treatment.

Over the years, the surgeries for treating cataract have developed. In the past, manual incisions were made in the cornea of the eye during the surgery, and today the main use is of a more precise laser. But in addition to laser treatment, there are also other types of cataract surgeries. One of them is extracapsular cataract surgery, in which the cloudy eye lens is removed in one piece, without breaking it. The second is intracapsular cataract surgery, in which the lens is removed together with its capsule and the new lens is sutured in its place.

Cataract surgery at Maccabi

Types of lens

Within the framework of Maccabi health fund services, one can receive a wide range of surgical treatments for cataract in general and laser cataract surgery at Maccabi in particular, together with different types of replacement lenses. Among others, in cataract surgeries at Maccabi you can find:

Monofocal lens

A lens characterized by a fixed focal point. Accordingly, this lens can be used to achieve optimal visual acuity for distance vision or for near vision – but not both, so there will still be a need to use glasses in the missing range.

Monovision lens

When different lenses with different focal points are implanted between the two eyes, the need to use glasses can be reduced.

Toric lens

Its purpose is to correct the corneal cylinder. If this lens is implanted at the appropriate angle, its optical power can be used to correct the existing cylinder.

Multifocal lens

Similar to multifocal eyeglass lenses, this lens allows suitable patients functional vision over wide ranges.

Price of cataract surgery at Maccabi

Cataract surgeries at Maccabi can be performed by different methods. The price of the surgery varies according to its type and according to the implanted lens. You can inquire about the different prices of the cataract surgeries, since there are different advantages to performing cataract surgery at Maccabi, cataract surgery at Maccabi Sheli, cataract surgery at Maccabi Gold, and so on. At the Maccabi health fund basic cataract surgery is available, but you can also choose the operating physician, the dedicated lenses, or choose to undergo cataract surgery at Maccabi using advanced technology such as laser.

Co-payment — at physicians under arrangement with Maccabi

Maccabi charges its members a co-payment when the cataract surgery is performed by a surgeon who is under arrangement with the fund, and the amount varies according to the supplemental insurance plan and according to the type of lens. These payments do not apply to private surgery with Prof. Mimouni, who is not under arrangement with Maccabi. The prices are updated from time to time and are not detailed here — they should be checked directly with Maccabi.

If an advanced lens is used, there is an additional payment for the lens according to the Maccabi price list for lenses.

Those operated on pay a co-payment on the day of surgery according to the amount of the commitment they receive from Maccabi.

Health fund co-payment prices depend on the Ministry of Health price list and are subject to change according to the Maccabi price list.

Summary

Cataract is a condition in which there is clouding of the eye's lens that interferes with vision. This condition usually requires surgical intervention in which the cloudy lens is replaced with a new lens. Different treatments for cataract can be received at the Maccabi health fund according to the type of surgery requested and the type of lens desired.

About Prof. Mimouni

Prof. Michael Mimouni is an eye doctor surgeon specializing in cataract surgery, secondary cataract, corneal transplant ,glasses removal and keratoconus. You can contact him to schedule an appointment through the contact form on the site or at the phone number that appears on the site.