What is a Cataract?

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Cataracts occur within the crystalline lens located inside your eye. The lens is the part of the eye responsible for focusing incoming light rays onto the retina to create a clear image. With increasing age, the clear lens in our eye starts to become cloudy. As cataracts progress, you may notice your vision becoming more blurry, objects appear dimmer or discolored, and you may have a harder time seeing at night or in low lighting. Cataracts may cause a change in your glasses prescription as they progress. Once the vision is blurred to the point that it is interfering with your daily life and the vision cannot be corrected with eyeglasses, it is time for cataract surgery.

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What happens during cataract surgery?

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Cataract surgery is performed at a surgical center. Each eye is done separately, usually two weeks apart. The eye will be dilated and you will be given a mild anesthetic agent. A small incision is made, about 2 millimetres in length. Ultrasound energy is used to emulsify the crystalline lens and then it is removed. Once the lens is removed, a clear intraocular implant is placed in the capsule where the native lens previously sat. After a short visit to the recovery room, you will be discharged to your home. No bandage or patch is required after surgery. The total time for the operative procedure is approximately ten to fifteen minutes. Cataract surgery is considered to be one of the safest surgeries performed on the body.

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What should I expect after cataract surgery?

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Immediately after cataract surgery your vision will still be slightly blurry. Most patients notice a great improvement in their vision within one day, as well as everything appearing much brighter. After surgery you will need to use three different drops, in addition to any drops that you may have been using prior to surgery. There is an antibiotic drop to prevent infection and two drops used to treat inflammation, a non-steroidal and a steroid. Drops will be tapered at your follow-up appointments. Your glasses prescription will be different after cataract surgery. Depending on which lens implant you choose, you may need glasses for up close, far away or both. The glasses prescription will be finalized about four weeks after surgery.

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Can cataracts come back after surgery?

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Once you have cataract surgery, cataracts will not come back. The implant that is placed in your eye during surgery after your natural lens is removed cannot form a cataract. There is a condition called Posterior Capsular Opacification (PCO) which occurs after surgery that some refer to as a secondary cataract. During cataract surgery the lens is removed from your eye, but the capsule that holds it in place remains. The clear implant is then placed in that capsule. Over time that capsule can become cloudy and blur your vision just like a cataract would. Fortunately, there is a laser procedure called a Yag Laser Capsulotomy that can be done in the office to clear up cloudiness of the capsule.