Grosinger, Spigelman & Grey

Michigan's Leading Eye Care Physicians

What to Expect After Cataract Surgery

Eye Michigan Postoperative Care after Cataract Surgery

Postoperative care after cataract surgery isn’t as scary as it sounds. In fact, the process is usually quick and easy. The procedure without complications takes around 10 minutes to complete. So what happens after the ophthalmologist is finished working on your eyes?

Immediately After Cataract Surgery

You will be moved into a recovery area immediately after cataract surgery. This is a safe, comfortable place for you to wait until sedation or anesthesia begins to wear off. This part of recovery usually takes between 30 and 60 minutes.

Once you have recovered enough to head home, you will need someone available to drive you. You will not be able to drive immediately after your appointment. Rest is recommended when you get home. Your doctor will advise you on whether or not you need to keep a protective shield over your eye.

Adaptation After Cataract Surgery

Recovery is quick, but there is a period of adaptation after cataract removal. At first, you may notice cloudy, blurry, or distorted vision. Your eye will need to adjust to the intraocular lens that was added.

Patients often describe wavy effects in their vision. This should only continue for about an hour or so. If it persists, you should contact your ophthalmologist.

Your eyes may look bloodshot as well because of blood vessel damage that occurs during the procedure. This is normal and will go away over the course of several days. You may also see bruising on the skin under the eye that can occur if you received an anesthesia injection.

Many experience clear vision hours after surgery. Some may need as much as a week before they start seeing images in sharp focus. You will be provided postoperative care instructions after cataract surgery before going home.

Contact Grosinger, Spigelman & Grey to make an appointment for your cataract surgery procedure.

Basics of Cataract Surgery

Eye Michigan Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery involves removing a cloudy part of the eye’s lens and replacing it with an artificial lens for the purpose of restoring vision. The surgery is minimally invasive and can be conducted on an outpatient basis. In this article, we will cover the basics of cataract surgery to help patients develop an understanding as to what happens during the procedure.

For most cataract surgeries, a high frequency ultrasound device will be used to break up the cloudy lens of the eye into smaller pieces, which are then removed using varying levels of suction. This procedure represents the latest in cataract surgery technology and requires smaller incisions compared to prior techniques.

After the cloudy parts of the lens have been removed, the surgeon will insert a clear IOL (intraocular lens) behind the pupil and iris, placed in the same position that the natural lens was in. The IOL may also be placed in front of the pupil and iris in some cases; however, this is not very common and will be evaluated on a patient by patient basis. By replacing the clouded natural lens with an artificial, clear lens, vision is restored to the patient.

The cataract removal procedure is completed by the surgeon by closing the initial incision. A protective shield is placed over the eye after the operations to ensure the eye is kept safe during the early stages of recovery. Laser assisted cataract surgery reduces recovery time for patients, getting you back to clear vision faster. The team at Eye Michigan can be reached online or by phone at (248) 221-1022 to schedule an appointment.

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