Cataract surgery involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a clear artificial lens. The artificial lens, called an intraocular lens, is positioned in the same place as your natural lens. It remains a permanent part of your eye.
For some people, other eye problems prohibit the use of an artificial lens. In these situations, once the cataract is removed, vision may be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses.
To determine whether you have a cataract, your doctor will review your medical history and symptoms, and perform an eye examination. Your doctor may conduct several tests.
Make an appointment with your usual eye care provider if you notice changes in your vision. If your doctor determines that you have cataracts, then you may be referred to an eye specialist who can perform cataract surgery.
A week or two before your procedure, your doctor will do some tests to measure the size and shape of your eye. This way, they can choose the best artificial lens for you.
They'll probably tell you not to eat or drink anything for 12 hours before the surgery.
The standard cataract surgical procedure is performed in a hospital or in an outpatient surgery center. There is no overnight stay at the facility. The most common form of cataract surgery today involves a process called phacoemulsification. After numbing the eye with drops or an injection, your surgeon, with the use of an operating microscope, will make a very small incision in the surface of the eye in or near the cornea. A thin ultrasound probe, which is often confused with a laser by patients, is inserted into the eye and uses high-ultrasonic vibrations to break up (phacoemulsify) the clouded lens. These tiny fragmented pieces are then suctioned out of the eye using the same ultrasound probe. Once the cataract is removed, an artificial lens is placed into the thin capsular bag that the cataract previously occupied. This lens is essential to help your eye focus after surgery.
For a few days after surgery, your eye may itch or feel sore. During this time, you may also have some tearing and find it hard to see well in bright light.
Your doctor will give you eyedrops to prevent infection. You'll need to take it easy for a few days. Driving will be off-limits, and you shouldn't bend over, pick up heavy things, or put any pressure on your eye.
For the first week, your doctor will likely suggest you wear an eye shield while you sleep. This protects the site of your surgery so your eye can heal. If you're in pain or you feel your eye isn't healing like it should, tell your doctor right away.
After 8 weeks, your eye should be fully healed. About 90% of people see better after cataract surgery. But don't expect your vision to be perfect. You may still need to wear glasses or contacts.
Sometimes after cataract surgery, you may find that things start to look cloudy again. It happens because a lens capsule -- the part of your eye that holds your new artificial lens in place -- begins to thicken up. You may hear your doctor call this by its medical name: posterior capsule opacification. The problem may not show up right away. You may notice it months or years later.
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