Depending on the type of cataract surgery and artificial lenses you have implanted, you may be able to see better than you have in a while. With advanced technology intraocular lens implants, your vision may be corrected entirely so that you can see fine print, far away, and at night without glasses or contacts.
When these are removed and replaced with a clear lens implant (intraocular lens, IOL), vision is restored. So, yes, cataract surgery improves vision – usually as soon as the next day – and for some people, it's even better than before.
If left untreated, cataracts can eventually lead to blindness. Many people assume that cataract surgery will give them "perfect" 20/20 vision, but this isn't always the case. In fact, some people may still need glasses or contacts to see clearly after surgery.
After cataract surgery, expect your vision to begin improving within a few days. Your vision may be blurry at first as your eye heals and adjusts. Colors may seem brighter after your surgery because you are looking through a new, clear lens.
However, as we usually do the operation on one eye at a time, this means that your eyes will be out of balance with each other until after the operation on your second eye. This vision imbalance is called anisometropia.
It is very common to have blurry or unclear vision in the days and sometimes even weeks after cataract removal. Most of the time, this is caused by normal swelling in the eye which occurs as a part of surgery. Patients with larger, denser and/or firmer cataracts are more likely to experience more inflammation.
In most people, cataracts start developing around age 60, and the average age for cataract surgery in the United States is 73.
Basically, the amount of light that enters the eye progressively gets reduced due to increasing opaqueness of the lens. Our brain and eye adapt to that to a certain extent. Due to this adaptation many people after cataract surgery notice increased brightness around them and in some cases it may be uncomfortable.
You should continue to wear sunglasses for at least a few weeks after your surgery. This will help to protect your eyes as they heal. After a few weeks, you can start to wear them less often. However, you should still put them on whenever you are going to be in the sun for an extended period of time.
Depending on the lens and the patient, neuroadaptation may happen sooner, later or not at all. The majority of patients will adapt to multifocal IOLs within six to 12 months, according to Dr. Maloney. But about 10 percent of patients never will adapt.
Cloudy or blurry vision
This is the most common symptom of cataracts. It can affect both distance and reading vision which may appear foggy. If left untreated, the clouding of the lens means the cataract will worsen, with less light able to get through the lens.
This might all sound serious, but cataract surgery is the most commonly performed elective procedure in Australia, with the average age for surgery being just under 76 years¹, and 90% of cataract operations performed on those aged 60 years and over ².
The simplest answer is this: The right time for surgery is when your cataracts have begun to interfere with your quality of life, and glasses and/or contacts no longer satisfy your visual needs.
If you have cataracts at a young age, there is no point waiting until you grow old to undergo cataract surgery. Getting a cataract surgery at a young age solves your eye vision problems and allows you to enjoy a better vision for a long time.
What Happens if You Bend Over After Cataract Surgery? You should not bend over after cataract surgery for at least 2 weeks. Bending over will place pressure on the eye and this may cause unnecessary complications to your eye. The main complication will be a delay in the healing process.
Here are some things that you may want to avoid before and after cataract surgery to ensure that you heal properly. Avoiding eating and drinking before your surgery. Don't wear makeup to the surgery appointment, and avoid wearing makeup until your ophthalmologist allows it so that you can better prevent infection.
In general, after cataract surgery people do not need glasses for distance viewing– this means for activities such as driving, golf or watching TV, you should not need to continue wearing glasses. However, in many circumstances people still may need glasses for reading or near work.
According to the World Health Organization, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness around the world—responsible for approximately 51%. By age 80, it's estimated that over half of all Americans will either have an eye cataract or have had surgery to remedy the condition.
Its success rate is about 99 percent. Complications from cataract surgery are rare but may include corneal swelling and/or inflammation in the eyes.
It is still a major operation and you should plan to take things quietly for 1-2 weeks. Always wear sunglasses outdoors. Avoid rubbing or touching the operated eye, dusty environment and gardening for the first 2 weeks.
The second way a cataract affects both near and far vision is when the lens changes to a yellow or brown color over time. As the lens changes, you might notice that everything appears “browner.” Over time, as the color becomes darker, it's more difficult to read and do other activities.
If left untreated, a cataract will naturally continue to progress. In some cases, the maturing cataract becomes completely white and can be seen in the mirror or by others.
Inflammation. Inflammation in the eye can happen after cataract surgery, but it is typically harmless. Any inflammation within the eye following cataract surgery is the body's natural response to having the eye's lens removed. This reaction causes blurry vision, but your eye doctor can prescribe medication to help.