Cataract Surgery Recovery

Among people over age 55, cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss. A cataract is cloudiness in the natural lens of the eye and is a natural part of the aging process. The procedure to treat cataracts involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. The surgery takes about 20 minutes per eye and the surgeries are done about 2 or more weeks apart to allow for healing. Cataract surgery recovery is generally quick and easy. Here’s what you can expect after the surgery.

Clearer Vision

Your vision will be blurry immediately after surgery but will improve quickly after the surgery. The eye takes time to heal and to adjust to the new lens implanted during surgery. Vision improves rapidly over the first five to seven days and your vision will be clear of the cloudiness you experienced with cataracts. An artificial lens will be implanted during the procedure that corrects vision problems such as myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). In addition, multi-focal lenses are available as part of PreLex surgery, which can provide both distance and near vision. However, a few patients may still need laser vision correction after cataract surgery to correct astigmatism. Every patient’s eyes are different, and a knowledgeable surgeon will help you determine the best solution for your vision.

Will My Eyes Hurt?

Patients rarely feel any discomfort after cataract surgery. Before your procedure, you will be given prescriptions for medicated eye drops and additional lubricating eye drops in a cataract surgery recovery kit to help you heal. You may experience some mild dryness and itchiness for a few days but this does not necessarily mean that anything is wrong. These side effects typically disappear after a couple of days.

Followup Appointments

To monitor the recovery of the eye, you will schedule followup appointments for one day, one week, one month, and three months after surgery. At each visit, your vision will be tested for visual acuity, and your eyes will be examined for healthy recovery. Most patients are completely stable and healed within three months.

Woodhams Eye Clinic operates on only one eye at a time so that you can see with the other eye during the recovery period. When you and the doctor are both satisfied with the vision of your first eye, generally after two or three weeks, you can undergo the cataract surgery on the second eye.

Cataract surgery is a life-changing procedure that allows you to regain lost sight. Both the surgery and the recovery are easy and pain-free. If you’re suffering from cloudy vision, make an appointment at Woodhams Eye Clinic to see if cataract surgery can improve your sight.

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