Cataract surgery typically lasts less than half an hour and is performed one eye at a time.

At surgery, your natural lens will be extracted and replaced with an artificial implant such as a foldable multifocal or toric lens.

Following your procedure, your physician will arrange several follow-up visits – usually one on the same day, the following week and then month later – in order to monitor healing and vision health. These follow-ups serve an important purpose.

The Day of Surgery

Surgery will usually be an outpatient procedure, so you should be able to return home soon afterward. Arrange for someone to drive you, as you won’t be able to drive while your eye heals. Before surgery, ensure your home is prepared – including meals prepared ahead and keeping it clean, tidy and uncluttered.

At cataract surgery, surgeons make small incisions in your eye to remove your old lens with the use of special microscopes and instruments, then break up and suction out. Following that step, they use ultrasound waves to break apart and suction out. Finally, they implant an intraocular lens implant known as an IOL into your capsule that held your natural lens – depending on your goals for vision after cataract surgery, certain IOL options could reduce or even eliminate glasses afterward.

Final steps involve stitching the small incisions closed; often this step won’t be required as they’ll heal on their own over time. Eye drops will also be provided during recovery to aid recovery.

As you recover, there may be some discomfort, but this should quickly subside. If you experience pain, redness or swelling contact the clinic immediately for advice. Also be careful when showering or taking a bath not to get water in your eyes when taking a shower/bath; be especially mindful not to splash water in them when showering/bathing as this may cause infection. Keep the area covered by towels/blankets during these times but refrain from touching/rubbing your eyes during these two-week recovery periods to protect them and help avoid infection from occurring.

The First Few Days

Though cataract surgery is generally safe and routine, it’s still essential to follow your physician’s instructions carefully during recovery. Make sure someone will drive you home after the operation as your vision may temporarily blurry after the procedure; also remember not to rub or scratch your eye as this could cause permanent damage and be sure to use the eye drops or medications that your physician provides to combat inflammation and speed healing.

Your doctor will use a procedure called phacoemulsification to extract your old cataractous lens using high-frequency ultrasound, creating a small incision in the cornea before inserting a minute instrument that breaks up cloudy lenses using high frequency soundwaves. After extracting this cloudy lens from its position behind your cornea, they then insert an artificial intraocular implant (IOL). IOLs made of plastic, silicone or acrylic material focus light directly on to your retina, improving vision while providing better focus for vision improvement.

Following cataract surgery, it’s not unusual to experience blurry vision for some time after. As your eye heals, its clarity should gradually return over time. Be cautious to avoid activities which could strain it such as bending over or lifting heavy items that could strain it further.

Some individuals will experience immediate improvement following cataract removal surgery; however, full recovery usually requires at least a week or more. Your surgeon will arrange 2-3 follow-up visits after surgery to monitor healing as expected and look out for any possible signs of infection or complications that might arise during recovery.

The First Week

Cataract surgery is a safe and quick procedure. Recovery typically only takes several days after surgery, though your vision may still remain blurry for some time afterward. Your doctor will prescribe eye drops and medications to prevent infection, reduce inflammation and control eye pressure; additionally you’ll have to wear an eye patch or protective shield while sleeping for one week following the procedure; some itching and discomfort may exist but this should subside within several days; be wary of touching or rubbing your eyes to avoid infection – follow-up visits should also occur between appointments with your ophthalmologist in case infection takes hold – and more appointments may need to occur with him/her in order for you.

On the day of cataract surgery, you’ll typically be able to return home but won’t be able to drive yourself home – therefore it is essential that someone arrange for you and drives or stays with you at home until recovery has taken place. Although two eyes may require cataract surgery at different times and locations over a period of weeks apart.

At the beginning of an operation, your surgeon will make a tiny incision to extract your eye’s old cloudy lens and implant an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) of your choice; these include monofocal, multifocal or toric lenses.

Most patients are awake during surgery but will be given a sedative to ensure a smooth process. Unfortunately, however, many report feeling groggy for days following the operation; many have no recollection whatsoever of its course. You should refrain from driving for 24 hours following your procedure and should avoid bending over or getting water in their eyes as this can cause irritation.

The First Month

Cataract surgery is an increasingly popular, effective solution to improve vision in many individuals. It can improve quality of life and allow individuals to perform an array of activities more comfortably; however, cataract surgery will not restore all areas of vision; many patients require glasses for near and distance vision after having undergone the process.

Most cataract surgery procedures are done as outpatient procedures, meaning you will return home on the same day of your procedure. Most surgeries can be completed while you remain awake while some opt for sedation instead. Your eye doctor will use drops to numb the surface of your eyes before creating an incision in your cornea through which a new artificial intraocular lens will be implanted to replace the old cloudy one.

At surgery, your surgeon will utilize an ultrasound probe to break apart and suction away the cataract through phacoemulsification (pronounced FAK-oeh-mul-sih-tuh-shun). However, the back capsule containing the cataract will remain undamaged to allow room for its replacement with an artificial lens.

Once a surgeon removes your old lens, they will insert a foldable intraocular lens inside your capsule to replace it and use an applicator to close any small opening in your cornea – usually without stitches requiring sewing! After your surgeon completes surgery, they may cover your eye with a shield while you rest for about 30 minutes in their recovery area – you may experience some itching or short-term fluid discharge but this should pass quickly; your vision should return within days after having this done.

The Second Month

Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most effective ways to restore vision. Done on an outpatient basis, complications are rare – yet after surgery it’s important to take it easy – you may experience eye pain or discomfort which must not be rubbed into or pushed against by anyone rubbing their eyes too forcefully or pushing too forcefully against any surface rubbing against it – avoid rubbing and pushing on them and consult an ophthalmologist if symptoms don’t improve within one month of this procedure.

Under cataract surgery, your doctor will administer anesthetic eye drops before using an ultrasound-vacuum device to surgically extract your lens through a micro-incision and implant an artificial lens in its place. Sometimes extracapsular cataract extraction must also take place; when performing this method, pieces of lens fragments are broken off while leaving behind part of the capsule so as to provide resting place for new artificial lenses.

After having cataract surgery, most patients experience improved distance and near vision; however, glasses may still be necessary for certain tasks. Your ophthalmologist will let you know when your vision has healed sufficiently to replace glasses entirely.

Cataracts are extremely prevalent and many individuals will eventually require cataract surgery at some point during their lives. While surgery itself is relatively painless and most patients can see well again without glasses after recovery, it’s still wise to take it slow after having cataracts removed, taking note of all instructions from your ophthalmologist for post-op care and visiting regularly even once the cataracts have fully retracted.