Will I wear an eye patch?
Normally, your eyelid is simply taped closed until the anesthesia wears off. This prevents your eyelid from accidentally opening until you are able to blink.
What can I expect after surgery?
When your procedure is finished, you will be able to walk out of the surgical suite. Your eye may be closed for a few hours until the anesthesia wears off. As the muscles in the eye begin to wake up, there may be some mild discomfort or a little achy feeling in your eye. When you remove the eyelid tape, you may experience blurry or double vision until your eyes are able to work together.
When can I resume normal activities?
You will want to take things a little easy for a day or two, but you may resume normal activities—except driving—as soon as your eye is open and working well. You can bend over, lift, golf, exercise, dance, bowl or wear make-up.
Is there anything I shouldn't do after surgery?
For a few weeks after cataract surgery, you should not rub your eye. We recommend that you not swim or hot tub for 2 weeks. Due to irritating chemicals, you should not perm your hair or get soap, shampoo and hairspray in your eye. Also, you should wear protective eyewear when playing contact sports or when you are around flying objects that could hit your eye.
When you are able to see clearly and are comfortable with your new vision, you may drive and return to work. If you are able to see 20/40 or better without glasses, you may want to have the corrective lenses restriction removed from your driver's license.
When will I need to see the doctor?
Check-up schedules after cataract surgery vary, but the typical plan for follow-up exams is:
- The next day
- One week after surgery
- Four to six weeks after surgery
What is involved in my follow-up care?
It is very important that you keep all your follow-up appointments. During these visits, the doctor will check your eyes to make sure that they are functioning properly and there is no sign of infection. When your eye has healed and stabilized, your optometric physician will prescribe a new lens for your glasses, if necessary.
When will I be able to see?
Vision after cataract surgery varies from person to person and from eye to eye. Soon after your operation, you may see noticeable improvement or your vision may be fuzzy. Both can be normal. Because it takes time for the eye to heal, it could be a few days before your vision clears.
How soon can I get new glasses?
When your vision is no longer changing, your optometric physician can prescribe a new lens for your glasses.
What kind of vision can I expect?
If cataracts are your main vision problem, your eyesight will usually be as clear after they are removed as it was before you developed cataracts. However, you may need glasses to fine-tune your vision for driving, reading or other activities.
Can my cataract come back?
No. It is not possible for a cataract to come back once it has been removed. However, in the months and years after surgery, about half of all cataract patients experience some reduction in vision as cells grow across the back of the clear capsular bag that holds the lens implant. Vision becomes fuzzy and dim much like it was with a cataract. This cloudiness is called a secondary cataract and is easily treated with the YAG laser. In one short visit, painless bursts of laser light create a tiny opening in the cloudy capsule to restore clear vision.
How soon can I have my second eye done?
Generally, if there are no other eye problems, you may schedule surgery for the second eye within one to two weeks of the first eye.
