1. No Time Like the Present
Cataract eye surgery is becoming so common today that many ophthalmologists perform the surgery right in their office. There is little reason to postpone the procedure for fear of complications, as they are so rare these days and the results are so worthwhile. Leaving cataracts in place will not usually harm your eyes, and the progression of the sight impairment may be slow. But with so few complications, you can find little reason to postpone the inevitable.
2. When Darkness Comes Early
Symptoms of cataracts include blurred vision and cloudiness to everything you see, even when the sun is shining and your windows are clean. You may find that you have to change your eyeglass prescription more often to see well. The early stages of cataracts can be diagnosed even before you even experience any symptoms. When you get a routine eye exam also get a dilating procedure done. However, you shouldn't feel any need to rush to surgery until you have problems. Some cataracts are genetic and will lay dormant behind the eye forever.
3. Assume the Position
In the doctor's office or in a surgical setting, you will lie on a chair similar to a dentist's chair that reclines. Typically, only a local anesthesia is required. Your eye is numbed, and the doctor uses ultrasound to break up the offending cataract. The pieces are then removed with a fine suction instrument. The new lens is placed in the eye. It is implanted and will become a part of the eye in a short time. The procedure takes no more than about an hour.
4. Back in the Saddle
Most implants are so tiny that they do not require incisions, meaning you can get back to normal activities in a day or two. Arrange for help if you don't have anyone at home because your doctor may require you to lie still during that time. Some people wear a pad over the eye that had the surgery just to keep from rubbing it when it itches. You'll visit the doctor the next day, with a follow-up visit in a month.
5. I Can See Clearly Now
Sometimes another smaller, less invasive cataract will appear following the initial surgery. This secondary cataract develops in the back of the lens capsule, where the lens implant is located. A five-minute laser procedure will clear the cloudiness and improve vision. If you have cataracts in both eyes, doctors prefer to do one at a time, waiting a month or more between procedures. They want to make sure that you take to the surgery and that the clear eye is working well with no lingering effects or problems.
