If you have been referred to our office for cataract surgery, you probably have many questions about the procedure.
This surgery is commonly performed but many patients understandably feel some level of apprehension about it.
While we will explain as much as we can during your visits with us, some patients prefer even more information.
This article will explain what cataracts are and what happens during your various visits with us throughout the process of getting cataract surgery.
What is a Cataract?
As your optometrist might have explained, a cataract is a clouding of the natural lens within your eye, usually due to normal aging changes but sometimes owing to other causative factors like eye diseases, genetic conditions, trauma, or medications.
This clouding causes glare, prescription changes, and gradually worsening vision even in the presence of optimal glasses correction.
The only current treatment for a cataract is surgical removal of the lens and replacement with an artificial lens, called an IOL (intraocular lens).
The artificial lens is usually selected to provide the right level of power to limit the need for distance correction after the surgery, though there are several types of lenses that can be chosen based on what one’s visual demands are.
Your Cataract Surgery Consultation
After being referred by your regular eye doctor, your first visit with us will entail us taking measurements to determine the right lens to use in replacing the cataract in the eye.
At this visit, our surgeon will also evaluate your eyes and the various types of IOLs available for you to choose will be explained.
Some examples of IOLs include monofocal, multifocal, toric, etc. A monofocal IOL is calibrated for a single distance, usually to neutralize your distance prescription to allow you to only need glasses to see up close.
Some people choose monofocals to correct their near vision, and use glasses for distance correction, while others sometimes opt for monovision, which is distance correction in one eye and near correction in the eye other to provide for clear vision at several distances.
Multifocal IOLs have distance and near correction built into them, similar to progressive spectacle lenses, and toric IOLs are made to correct large degrees of astigmatism.
What to Expect With Cataract Surgery
Usually only one eye is operated on during each visit, and these visits are about two months apart.
Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure so you will be able to go home on the day of your surgery.
Some lenses, such as toric or wavefront-optimized IOLs, require some additional measurements on the day of surgery.
These will be carried out, then the surgery will be performed and you will leave with prescriptions for various medications.
The Post-Operative Care Period
After your surgery, there will be several post-operative visits with our surgeon and with your regular eye doctor to ensure that there are no complications and to treat any problems if they do arise.
It is important to take all medications as prescribed, which always include antibiotic, painkiller, and anti-inflammatory eye drops, among possible others.
Six weeks after both eyes have been operated on, vision is stable enough that a refraction can be performed by your regular optometrist to determine the best prescription for glasses, if needed.
Dr. Nathan Abraham and the staff of the Abraham Eye Center specializes in cataract surgery, LASIK, PRK, and various corneal surgeries. Call our ophthalmologist in Valencia, CA today at 661-977-7377 or schedule an appointment online if you are interested in learning more about cataract surgery. Our eye doctor provides only the highest quality eye care and surgical services amongst eye doctors in the Valencia California area.
0 Comments