What can I expect?
Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure. This means that you will return home the same day you have cataract surgery. You will be asked not to eat or drink anything after midnight the night before surgery. The day of surgery, you will change into a gown and then be asked to lie in a specialized eye bed. You will have dilating drops placed in the eye undergoing the operation. After the anesthesiologist sees you, you will be taken back to the operating room where you can either be sedated or put under general anesthesia. Most patient elect to stay awake during the procedure. If you choose to be sedated, a numbing shot may be placed behind the eye. You should therefore not feel any pain during the cataract procedure. The eye surgeon will then make a cut in the cornea, or clear portion of the front of the eye, open the capsule that holds the cataract lens, and then use a tiny ultrasonic vacuum device to remove the cataract. An artificial replacement lens will then be placed inside the eye. Following the procedure, the surgeon may place no stitches or several stitches depending on the case. The operated eye will then have a patch placed over it which should not be removed until your visit the next day. Upon discharge from the surgical center, you may return home and have a meal. We advise you to not get anything in the eye, avoid straining or any activity that will make your face red, or put your head in a face down position. Remember to bring your eyedrops with you the next day so we can explain their use.
What kind of lens is right for me?
After a cataract is removed, it is replaced with an artificial lens. We implant both the traditional fixed focus lens and the multifocal lens. Both lenses have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, the traditional lens is the lens that is used the majority of the time. These lenses are safe and can provide excellent distance vision. Because the lens focus is set for distance vision, however, you will probably need reading glasses after cataract surgery. The multifocal lens, on the other hand, may allow you to see well far away and at near, but you may experience night vision problems. Ask your eye surgeon about which lens is right for you.
What are the risks and benefits?
Although visual recovery may take a month or more, most patients report better vision after cataract surgery. They also report that things look brighter and that colors appear richer. In general, cataract surgery is quite safe. The two most serious complications are sight-threatening infection and retinal detachment, both of which may occur after any successful cataract operation. The good news is that these complications are treatable. Other complications include increased pressure in the eye, swelling of the retina, clouding of the cornea, and drooping of the eyelid. Your eye surgeon can help answer any questions you may have regarding your individual risks.