Care and Treatment After Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is almost entirely a patient’s decision. The goal of cataract surgery is to remove the clouded part of the eye in order to have improved vision. When this eye surgery is performed, the clouded lens is then replaced with a lens implant, with the entire surgery taking an hour or less to perform.

Because patients have the eye surgery under local anesthesia, they require someone to help them return home once the procedure is finished. Your vision will also be impaired for a time. However, you will only have a small amount of discomfort and a feeling of itchiness in the eye. Eye care during this time is important in order to make sure the eye heals properly. Your doctor will likely recommend that you take a day to rest. Proper eye care and eye treatment will be necessary in order to help your eye to heal, and your doctor will provide you with eye drops and an eye guard in order to help keep your eyes clean and free of debris. Likewise, the eye shield helps keep pressure off your eye when you sleep.

Eyes are at their most vulnerable the week following cataract surgery, so maintaining the right eye care and eye treatment will help to keep them safe from injury and infection. Eventually you will return to your eye doctor for a follow-up exam to make sure the eye is healing well.

If you provide the proper eye treatment, you should experience improved vision after two to six weeks following your eye surgery. Cataract surgery may also mean a change in your prescription, so you may need to obtain new glasses or contact lenses after the surgery.

As long as you are careful with your eyes and follow the doctor’s instructions following your cataract surgery, you should have improved vision as a result of a successful procedure and care.