When Was Cataract Surgery Discovered

Did you know that cataract surgery has been around for thousands of years? Yes that’s true! Cataract surgery was documented in India in 800 BC (at least thats the earliest that we are aware that cataract surgery existed). It makes sense that civilizations would do everything they can to figure out how to get rid of cataracts. Without treatment, cataracts are very disabling; especially in the late stages where cataracts block almost the entirety of vision.

It is important to mention that cataract surgery back then is nowhere close to what cataract surgery is today. The earliest known cataract surgery was called “couching”. The basic of the procedure was that they inserted a needle into the eye to knock the cataract out of place and out of vision 🙈. Yes. That was it! Nothing like what we are doing today.

At this time, no intraocular lenses were being implanted within the eyes. And glasses hadn’t been invented yet either!! After knocking the lens/cataract out of the vision, there was no way to correct the focusing that the natural lens (and cataract) contributed in the eye. The cataracts would have gotten so bad that very blurry vision sans cataract was a much preferable option! It’s pretty incredible thinking about that today when we are accustomed to the wonderful vision we achieve afterwards today.

It’s fascinating to see where cataract surgery came from. Fortunately, however, modern cataract surgery has advanced far from the couching procedure.

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