Epistemological and bioethical considerations in cataract surgery

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the main epistemological contributions on the concepts of normal and pathological, health and disease, and to analyze these concepts in face of medical technology advances. It discusses particularly about the ethical conflict of the surgical ophthalmologist conduct, when he removes the normal eye lens (according to the concept of normality reported by these authors) and implants in its place, an artificial one, adding to patient’s vision, carrier of ametropy and presbyopia, superior qualities than normal eye lens. Also, the author makes an attempt to forecast possible changes in the concepts of normal and pathological in people with and without implants. He concludes by considering the addition of visual qualities on the major portion of the population may change the concept of normal and pathological, making deficient the part of population that doesn’t have access to those new technologies.