Have you been diagnosed with cataracts? Do you want to restore your vision with cataract surgery?
Because they can significantly impact your vision, removing your cataracts through cataract surgery can improve your quality of life. With this treatment, you can improve your eyesight and ability to perform everyday tasks like reading, cooking, driving, and much more.
Before considering cataract surgery, it’s natural to have questions about the procedure. Keep reading to learn more about how long cataract surgery takes and what to expect during the procedure.
What are Cataracts?
The natural lens is a clear, curved part of the eye that refracts light entering the eye to the retina. However, as you age, it’s common for the proteins in the lens to break down.
When this occurs, the lens becomes cloudy, and you may feel like you’re seeing everything through a foggy window. This is because the proteins in the lens are forming clumps called cataracts.
Some other common symptoms of cataracts include:
- Seeing double in one eye
- Increased light sensitivity
- Trouble seeing at night
- Faded or yellowed vision
- Frequent prescription changes
- Seeing glare or halos around lights
- Needing brighter lights to read
Cataracts often develop slowly, meaning you don’t always need cataract surgery right away if you’ve been diagnosed with them. Some patients find that glasses and contacts can temporarily improve their vision enough to complete daily tasks.
However, once your cataracts begin interfering with your ability to drive, read, or socialize, cataract surgery is the only treatment that can successfully improve your vision.
What is Cataract Surgery?
Cataract surgery is a minimally invasive, quick procedure that is the only way of restoring vision lost to cataracts. During the procedure, your cataract surgeon at Hayden Vision will remove your cataract-affected natural lens and replace it with an intraocular lens, or IOL.
This IOL can’t develop cataracts, so you won’t have to worry about developing them again after the procedure. Various kinds of IOLs can correct refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, as well as presbyopia or age-related farsightedness.
Hayden Vision offers monofocal, astigmatism-correcting, and multifocal IOLs. Premium IOLs, like multifocal IOLs, can provide patients with clear vision across multiple distances, significantly reducing your need for glasses or contacts after cataract surgery.
Before your procedure, you will undergo a cataract surgery consultation with your eye doctor at Hayden Vision to determine your candidacy for the procedure. They will also help you choose the IOL that suits you best depending on your vision needs, budget, health history, and lifestyle.
How Long Is Cataract Surgery?
Cataract surgery is much faster and more comfortable than most medical procedures. The process takes about 10 to 20 minutes per eye.
If you require cataract surgery on both eyes, the procedures will be done at least one to two weeks apart to ensure your other eye heals enough to see clearly. You’ll likely have to stay for about 30 minutes to be monitored by your cataract surgeon.
Although the procedure is very quick, the entire appointment for your cataract surgery may take about an hour.
What are the Steps of Cataract Surgery?
To begin cataract surgery, your cataract surgeon will first numb the surface of your eye with anesthetic eye drops. They may also offer you a mild sedative to reduce your anxiety.
Once your eye has been numbed, your cataract surgeon will make a small incision to access the natural lens. They will use ultrasound waves to break up the lens and then suction up the pieces.
Next, they will insert your chosen IOL through the original incision and ensure it is correctly situated in the eye. Your cataract surgeon will place a patch over your eye to protect it while it heals.
What is Cataract Surgery Recovery Like?
After cataract surgery, you will need someone to drive you home from the appointment. You’ll also set up a follow-up visit with your cataract surgeon and return the next day.
It’s normal to have blurry vision right after cataract surgery, but your vision should clear and stabilize over the next few days or weeks. Some patients have mild side effects like a gritty feeling in their eyes or excessive tearing.
These symptoms are temporary and tend to quickly improve as you heal. Do not press or rub your eye, and protect it from water and soap to ensure optimal healing.
Your cataract surgeon will send you home with special eye drops that help reduce inflammation and prevent infection. You should use them as often as instructed to promote healthy healing.
At your follow-up appointment, your cataract surgeon will let you know when it is safe to resume activities like driving. Most patients are cleared after the first day and can return to work within one to three days after their procedure.
Improve Your Eyesight With Cataract Surgery at Hayden Vision
Cataracts may not cause significant disruptions at first, but they can negatively impact your life as they worsen. You may find it harder to do what you love and carry out daily tasks.
With time, glasses and contacts won’t be enough to maintain your vision. Cataract surgery can provide you with the visual freedom to live your life and reduce your reliance on visual aids if you select a premium IOL.
Aren’t you excited to get back to your favorite activities with clearer vision? Whether you enjoy spending time with your grandkids, doing yoga in the park, or sightseeing around the globe, each moment can be made better with crisp, high-definition vision.
Are you wondering if cataract surgery is right for you? Schedule an appointment at Hayden Vision in Evansville, IN, today!