Before deciding to have Cataract surgery, you will need an initial examination to make sure your eyes are suitable for surgery. Your doctor will take a complete history about your medical and eye health and perform a thorough examination of both eyes.

If you wear contact lenses, your doctor may ask you to stop wearing them before your initial examination (from the day of to a few weeks before), so that your refraction (measure of how much your eye bends light) and central keratometry readings (measure of how much the cornea curves) are more accurate.

At this time, your doctor will ask you if you:

Take any medications, including over-the-counter medications, vitamins and other supplements

Have any allergies

Have had any eye conditions

Have undergone any previous eye surgery

Have had any medical conditions

Deciding to have Surgery

To help you decide whether Cataract surgery is right for you, your doctor and you will thoroughly discuss your expectations and whether there are elements of your medical history, eye history, or eye examination that might increase your risk or prevent you from having the outcome you expect.

Your doctor will discover and then conclude:

Whether you are a good candidate,

What are the risks, benefits and alternatives of the surgery

What you should expect before, during and after surgery

What your responsibilities will be before, during and after surgery

Before your surgery, your doctor will calculate the eye and calculates the power of lens that you will need. You must not eat or drink after midnight on the day of surgery.

Before your surgery, your doctor may ask you to temporarily stop taking certain medications that increase the risk of bleeding during surgery. How long before surgery you may need to stop these medications depends upon which medications you are using and the conditions they are treating. You and your doctor may need to discuss stopping certain medications with the doctor who prescribed them, since you may need some of these medications to prevent life-threatening events. For example, you may need medications that stop blood clotting to keep from having a stroke.

What should I expect during surgery?

The surgery usually lasts less than 30 minutes and is generally painless. Many people choose to stay awake during surgery, while others may need to be put to sleep for a short time. If you are awake, you will have an anesthetic to numb the nerves in and around your eye. You will not have to worry about holding your eye open because an instrument known as a lid speculum will hold your lids open. You will likely see light and movement during surgery, but the eye usually is not uncomfortable.

Your doctor will first administer a comfortable topical anesthetic which will completely numb the eye. Next a small "No-stitch" procedure is invoked, then an ultrasonic probe is used to reduce the cataract into a removable entity.

Once removed, your new intra-ocular lens (IOL) is introduced into the eye. The incision then bonds together naturally and the procedure is complete.

With advanced cataract surgery, most patients return to their daily routines shortly after surgery. Cataract surgery's permanent results often allow patients to enjoy better vision than the patients had before cataracts developed.

What should I expect after surgery?

After the surgery is over, you may be brought to a recovery room for a couple of hours before you will be allowed to go home. You will feel as well following surgery as you did before. The problem with feeling so well is that it is difficult to persuade healthy, active persons that they should follow post-operative guidelines. To avoid the possibility of complications, it is important to adhere to the following post-operative guidelines

Although patients are advised to eat only a light meal following surgery, a normal diet may be resumed the day after surgery.

Patients are pre-scheduled for a post-op exam at the doctor's office the day following surgery.

In most cases, the second post-op exam is scheduled for two weeks following surgery.

Additional post-op exams will be scheduled on an as-needed basis.

Prescription eye drops are to be used in the postoperative eye for about one month following surgery.

A special pair of sunglasses that can be worn over regular prescription glasses will be provided. These glasses guard against light sensitivity during the healing process.