HANGILEYE HOSPITAL, Successful Cataract Surgery on a 104-Year-Old Patient

HANGILEYE HOSPITAL recently announced the successful completion of cataract surgery on a 104-year-old patient. The procedure was performed by Dr. Jae-hyung Park, Chief Medical Officer of the Anterior Segment Center, once again proving the hospital's advanced medical expertise in safely performing ophthalmic surgeries on centenarians and super-elderly patients.

Cataracts are a representative eye disease associated with aging. While common enough that almost everyone experiences them with age, treating patients over 100 years old involves numerous variables. Such cases often present as "hypermature cataracts," where the crystalline lens has severely hardened. Consequently, highly specialized expertise and meticulous judgment are required from the initial decision to the actual operation, due to complex factors such as the patient’s overall systemic health, anesthesia risks, and the aging of ocular tissues.

Taking these challenges into account, Dr. Park thoroughly assessed the patient's systemic health prior to the surgery through rigorous interdisciplinary collaboration and pre-operative screenings, supported by the Surgery Support Center—which comprises internal medicine, anesthesiology, laboratory medicine, and radiology teams. The surgery was performed under topical (eye drop) anesthesia to minimize pain. Utilizing state-of-the-art phacoemulsification (ultrasound) equipment to reduce corneal damage, the cloudy lens was swiftly removed, and an intraocular lens (IOL) was successfully implanted. Prior to the surgery, the patient's vision was 0.2 in the left eye and 0.01 in the right eye; the patient is currently in recovery.

"Above all, I am deeply grateful to the patient for enduring the surgical process so bravely. I felt a profound sense of responsibility, knowing that this surgery would significantly improve the quality of life for an elderly individual," said Dr. Jae-hyung Park. He added, "Older patients are more vulnerable to secondary health issues, such as falls and cognitive decline caused by vision loss, making proactive ophthalmic intervention crucial. We will continue to provide the best possible care so that elderly patients can undergo surgery with peace of mind."

Through this successful surgery, HANGILEYE HOSPITAL has once again demonstrated its surgical capabilities for high-risk and super-elderly patients. Moving forward, the hospital plans to consistently provide specialized medical services to ensure that all patients can enhance their quality of life through optimal medical care.