Although it's never too late to have a cataract removed, it is better to have cataracts removed while they are immature, as this reduces the length of surgery and the recovery time. Earlier removal also means that you avoid the significant visual impairment associated with very mature (hypermature) cataracts.
In most people, cataracts start developing around age 60, and the average age for cataract surgery in the United States is 73.
Dr. Solomon's typical rule of thumb is that it's time for surgery when the symptoms of your cataracts have begun to interfere with your work, hobbies, and overall quality of life, and glasses and/or contacts no longer satisfy your visual needs.
Patients who wait more than 6 months for cataract surgery may experience negative outcomes during the wait period, including vision loss, a reduced quality of life and an increased rate of falls.
With that said, cataracts often advance slowly — and during their early stages, they may cause very little disruption. In these cases, busy schedules, fear of needles, or other healthcare problems make it easy to hit the “snooze button” and postpone surgery.
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.
Cataract surgery is a straightforward procedure that usually takes 30 to 45 minutes. It's often carried out as day surgery under local anaesthetic and you should be able to go home on the same day.
Cataract surgery is not painful. While patients are awake during surgery, there is little or no discomfort involved. A mild sedative may be administered before the surgery, which calms the nerves, and eye drops are used to numb the eye.
High success rates
Most people do exceedingly well with cataract surgery. Its success rate is about 99 percent. Complications from cataract surgery are rare but may include corneal swelling and/or inflammation in the eyes.
While many age-related eye conditions can irreparably damage your vision, like glaucoma or macular degeneration, having cataract surgery will restore your clear vision. If you can't see well because of cataracts, there's little reason not to have cataract surgery.
Mayo Clinic explains that most people still need to wear glasses, at least for some activities, following cataract surgery. Your vision should be greatly improved, but you will still need to get a new prescription for your glasses.
Downtime after cataract surgery is minimal. We find that most patients resume the majority of normal activities within one week, and oftentimes even within one day of surgery. Restrictions include avoidance of touching or rubbing one's eye for a minimum of one week.
No, your vision generally doesn't deteriorate after cataract surgery unless other problems arise, such as macular degeneration or glaucoma. In cataract surgery, the eye doctor (ophthalmologist) removes the clouded lens from your eye and replaces it with a clear, artificial lens.
While home, you may be allowed to remove your eye shield, but you should wear it when sleeping for at least a week to prevent eye injury. Full recovery from cataract surgery should be complete in about a month, although it can take up to three months for your eye to be completely healed.
The requirement for fasting before surgery was recommended by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), which published updated guidelines in 2011 for patients undergoing general anesthesia to reduce the risk of aspiration pneumonia.
A long-term consequence of cataract surgery is posterior capsular opacification (PCO). PCO is the most common complication of cataract surgery.
You can read or watch TV right away, but things may look blurry. Most people are able to return to work or their normal routine in 1 to 3 days. After your eye heals, you may still need to wear glasses, especially for reading.
As you age, the lenses in your eyes become less flexible, less transparent and thicker. Age-related and other medical conditions cause proteins and fibers within the lenses to break down and clump together, clouding the lenses. As the cataract continues to develop, the clouding becomes denser.
On the day after you have cataract surgery, your vision may be blurry or uneven. This is normal as your vision needs time to adjust and heal. Most cataract surgeons will ask you to come in for your first follow-up appointment the day after cataract surgery. It's extremely important that you attend this appointment.
Wear sunglasses outdoors for one week after surgery. It is optional to wear them indoors.
Laser cataract surgery also lowers the risk of complications, and most patients require less recovery time afterward. While both types of surgeries are safe, for many patients, laser cataract surgery overall may be slightly safer for these reasons.
Yes, you can. In fact, you can have cataract surgery in just one eye or cataract surgery in both eyes at once, depending on the needs of your particular eyes.
Eighty-seven percent of survey participants said they felt more independent thanks to clear vision after cataract surgery.
With regards to the chronological order of surgery 18 (56.26%) indicated that they would perform cataract surgery first on the non-amblyopic eye, 11 (34.4%) would surgically address the amblyopic eye first and three (9.4%) indicated that patient preference would dictate the choice regarding the laterality of the eye to ...