Cataract Surgery: What to Expect Before, During, and After

 You’ve heard the term cataracts and know they harm your vision, but exactly what are they? Cataracts are small clumps of proteins that form on the lens of your eye, making your vision cloudy or blurry. 

Just as other parts of your body show signs of aging, your eyes do too. Cataracts usually form very gradually over time. The older you are, the more likely you are to have them. About half of adults over age 75 have cataracts or have had them removed. 

Our board-certified ophthalmologists with Eye Care & Surgery perform cataract surgeries every day. Common symptoms of cataracts include the following: 

• Cloudy, fuzzy, or blurry vision
• Poor night vision 
• Glare or halos around bright lights
• Colors appear dull 

Cataracts can form in one or both eyes. Your surgeon usually operates on one eye at a time.

The only way to cure cataracts is to remove the damaged lens in your eye and replace it with an artificial lens. While some lenses correct for one specific distance (monofocal lenses), we perform refractive cataract surgery using artificial lenses designed to correct for multiple distances, reducing or eliminating your need for eyeglasses.

Following is an outline of what to expect before, during, and after cataract surgery. 

Before cataract surgery

Before proceeding with cataract surgery, your surgeon conducts a thorough eye examination and reviews your medical history and medications to ensure you’re a good candidate for the procedure. 

If you take medication or supplements regularly, we may advise you to talk to your doctor about changing your dose in the days leading up to your surgery.

You’ll usually need to stop eating and drinking after midnight on the day of surgery. Clean your face with a mild cleanser. Don’t apply any moisturizers, serums, sunscreen, or makeup. Plan to take 2-3 days off afterward to give yourself time to rest and your eye a chance to begin the healing process.

The cataract procedure 

You lie on a table and relax. We numb your eye so you don’t feel pain. You might be afraid you’ll blink during cataract surgery. Don’t worry. We use a speculum or ring to hold your eyelid open. 

Once your eye is prepared, your ophthalmologist makes a small self-sealing incision in the cornea. Using ultrasound technology, your surgeon removes your cloudy lens, inserts an artificial lens, and secures it. The entire procedure takes less than 15 minutes. 

Cataract recovery 

After your surgery, you’ll wear a special protective covering over your eye to prevent you from rubbing it without thinking. Your eye may feel a bit scratchy; that’s normal. 

Eye drops

You’ll use special eye drops as directed in our written and oral instructions. Since you’ll take more than one kind of eye drop, you should set a daily schedule to take them so you don’t forget a dose.

You’ll have antibiotic eye drops for about a week to prevent infection. You’ll also take anti-inflammatory eye drops for a few weeks after surgery. We also recommend eye drops for dry eyes, which may bother you for a while after surgery. 

Physical activity

You’ll need to rest after your procedure. For the period noted in your written instructions, don’t do heavy housework, lift strenuously, or engage in vigorous exercise. 

Don’t bend over at the waist for a little while after surgery. We advise waiting at least a week before bending over to avoid placing too much pressure on your eye. Wait a day to shower, and skip hot tubs and pools for a few weeks to prevent the risk of infection. 

Vision after cataracts

You may have blurry vision for the first few days after surgery, but it will improve. You’ll soon notice a difference in your vision: Colors are brighter, and objects are more defined. 

Healing takes about eight weeks. Depending on your surgery type, you may no longer need reading glasses. 

Cataract surgery gives you clear vision again 

Do you wish you could turn back the hands of time? Modern medicine allows you to do just that with cataract surgery. Once you recover, you’ll have sharp vision as you likely did when you were younger. Cataract surgery could be the solution you’ve been looking for to restore your vision and even reduce your dependence on eyeglasses. 

If your vision has become cloudy because of cataracts, call Eye Care & Surgery today for an appointment to see how cataract surgery can improve your vision.