Our Cataract Surgeons Answer Your Pressing Questions

Cataract surgery, or lens replacement, is the only effective treatment for cataracts. Replacing the eye’s natural, protein-based lens with a synthetic lens eliminates the cloudiness that’s been interfering with vision. Successful cataract surgery also means that the risk of future cataracts is also gone since synthetic lenses remain crystal clear forever.

If you suffer from age-related cataracts that have progressed to the point where they’re impeding your daily activities, you’re probably considering cataract surgery. But you also probably have some important questions about cataract surgery and how your ophthalmologist will go about correcting your cataracts.

This month, our experienced cataract surgeons are answering some of your most pressing questions about lens replacement surgery, how you can prepare, and what you can expect.

When Do I Need Cataract Surgery?

Cataracts are the name for the condition in which the eye’s natural lenses become cloudy over time. Left unaddressed, cataracts can increase in severity until the lens becomes completely opaque, rendering the patient blind in the affected eye. While there’s nothing that can reverse the effects of cataracts on a patient’s eyes, the affected lenses can be removed and replaced by clear synthetic lenses made of special polymers.

Ideally, your optometrist and other members of your eye care team will spot and diagnose your cataracts early during a routine annual eye exam. But, if you don’t get regular yearly eye exams, you might only be aware of your cataracts once they’ve already developed to the point of seriously impacting your vision. The timing of your lens replacement will ultimately come down to a decision you, your optician, and your cataract surgeon will make together, but that decision can be based on the answers to these questions:

Are your cataracts preventing you from going about your daily business – driving, reading, or even taking care of personal needs?
Are your cataracts preventing your eye care team from seeing into your eye to provide you with early detection of conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, or diabetic retinopathy?
Are your cataracts creating safety hazards by preventing you from seeing well enough to get around without running into or tripping over things?

If the answer to any of these questions is “Yes,” it’s time to talk to your eye care specialist about cataract surgery.

Is Cataract Surgery Painful?

No, cataract surgery seldom causes any significant pain. Some patients report some feelings of “grittiness” or minor discomfort in the eye where the surgery was performed, but this is usually very mild and easily managed with over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. If you’re a candidate for laser cataract surgery and opt to take that route, you will probably experience even less discomfort than someone who undergoes traditional lens replacement.

The surgery is so painless that nearly all patients only receive a topical anesthetic to numb the affected eye; they stay awake through the whole procedure. But don’t worry – you won’t be able to see the surgeon working on your eye, so you can put that fear to rest!

How Long Does Cataract Surgery Take?

Lens replacement is an incredibly common procedure, and most cataract surgeons can work very quickly. Most procedures only take about ten to 15 minutes. Including some time up front to prepare you for the operation and some time at the end to let you recover the feeling in your eye, your total visit might last a couple of hours.

How Long Does It Take to Recover From Cataract Surgery?

Technically, the recovery period for lens replacement is four weeks, but most people start seeing an improvement in their vision within just a few days.

During your recovery period, your cataract surgeon will prescribe you eye drops that both speed your healing and reduce the risk of a post-operative infection. You should use these drops in the manner specified by your surgeon.

Your surgeon will tell you how long you need to wait before going back to work or resuming other everyday activities. They will also provide you with some guidelines on things to avoid during recovery, such as:

Driving
Swimming
Wearing eye makeup
Strenuous exercise
Bending over so that your head is below your waist*
Lifting heavy objects

*While this may not seem to make sense on the face of things, bending down in such a manner dramatically increases blood pressure in your head, which can lead to a burst blood vessel or a broken suture at the surgery site.

What Are Some Common Side Effects of Cataract Surgery?

Complications and other adverse impacts from lens replacement are extremely rare. While risk factors vary from individual to individual, your cataract surgeon will look at your medical history and advise you if any of your other conditions make complications more likely.

Most of the potential complications that arise from cataract surgery are completely reversible, so the likelihood of any permanent damage is negligible. The most common side effects and complications include:

Bleeding from or swelling of the eye
Ongoing eye pain
Continued blurry vision
Glare, halos, or shadows in your vision
Lens displacement, or your lens moving out of position
Posterior capsular opacification, a condition where the capsule that contains the lens becomes cloudy. It is reversible using a standard laser procedure.
Retinal detachment (which only occurs in 0.2% of cases)
Eye infection (which only occurs in less than 0.1% of cases)

Again, the prevalence of all of these complications is minuscule, and the benefits of receiving a new, clear lens and enjoying clear eyesight usually far outweigh the risk of negative outcomes.

Got More Questions About Cataracts? Let Eyesight Associates Help!

Are you worried about your eyesight? Want to know more about how to avoid or slow the progress of cataracts? With eight locations around Middle Georgia and the Golden Isles, we’re always close at hand to help you maintain clear vision! Call 478-923-5872 to learn more or make an appointment.