Have an upcoming cataract surgery? Congratulations. You’ll soon be enjoying your life again without the vision loss caused by cataracts.
But you can expect to be out of commission for the first few days following your surgery. This means you will need to take some time off work. Keep reading to get a better idea of what to expect during and after cataract surgery!
A Quick Procedure
Cataract surgery is a quick and painless outpatient procedure. The surgery takes less than an hour. You’ll spend the procedure awake with your eyes open.
There’s no pain involved either since you’ll receive numbing eye drops. If you’re nervous, you can have medication to calm you down like Valium.
IOL Replacement
During the surgery, the natural lens of your eye will be removed. It’s necessary to remove the entire lens because it gets cloudy due to cataracts. Your natural lens is then replaced with an intraocular lens, known as an IOL.
You will get to choose what type of IOL you would like to be inserted. There are two options: standard, and premium.
A standard IOL will restore the vision you lost because of cataracts but you’ll still need glasses. Standard IOLs, known as monofocal lenses, can only correct for one distance.
A premium IOL will restore your vision to the point where you no longer need glasses or contacts after cataract surgery. There are many options when it comes to premium IOLs.
Some will correct farsightedness, some will correct nearsightedness, and others will correct both. A toric premium IOL will even correct astigmatism.
Check with your insurance provider about which IOLs they cover. In most cases, only a monofocal IOL will be completely covered. Premium IOLs are worth the added cost if you don’t want to wear glasses anymore.
Cataract Surgery Recovery
You will need to schedule transportation to get to and from your appointment. You can expect your vision to be blurry immediately after the surgery. Because of your blurry vision, it’s unsafe to drive yourself home.
You can expect to be out of commission for 2-3 days following your procedure. It is important that you don’t do any strenuous activity during your recovery time.
This includes heavy weightlifting, swimming, running, or cycling. If you start to feel claustrophobic from resting during your recovery process, take a leisurely walk. Don’t try to exercise above that pace.
Take Time Off
Reading and computer work can also cause your eyes strain. It may be hard to do either of these activities, and the amount that you can do them should be limited. This means that you will most likely have to take time off work for your cataract surgery.
Sit back and relax during your recovery. Kick your feet up and watch your tv from a distance.
Check out a new audiobook or podcast. Enjoy time with your pets or children. You will soon be back in action and enjoying life without cataracts.
The first step in the cataract surgery process is an initial cataract screening. Schedule yours today with Stahl Eyecare Experts in Manhattan, NY!
