Nearly every individual will end up going through cataract surgery at some point in their lives. The clouding of the lens of the eye is all but unavoidable, and without cataract surgery, your vision could end up clouding to the point that it becomes nearly impossible to see. In fact, prior to cataract surgery being developed, cataracts were one of the leading causes of blindness in the elderly. But even with this knowledge, you may still have questions about treating your cataracts. Here's what you should know.
Will You Be Put Under?
Generally speaking, people are not placed under general anesthesia for cataract surgery. Instead, you'll be given eyedrops to numb your eyes completely. For patients who are particularly nervous or stressed about the procedure, additional steps can be taken to put you at ease, like giving you a tranquilizer before the procedure begins. So you can rest assured that you'll remain conscious while your eyes are being worked on.
Does It Hurt?
Cataract surgery shouldn't hurt at all. Your eye doctor will make sure of that by treating your eyes with numbing eye drops, and if necessary, they will use an injection to provide further pain relief. After the procedure is over, most people are sent home with pain medication to ensure that the eyes remain comfortable and healthy while you recover.
While you may not experience pain, you could experience a little itchiness on the surface of the eye. Be very careful to not rub your eyes as it could damage them during this important recovery period.
Will Your Vision Improve?
Yes, your vision will definitely improve. While your vision isn't going to be better than it was before you developed cataracts, most people notice that their vision is considerably sharper, more in-focus, and clearer after cataract surgery. This is because the clouded lens is removed completely and replaced with an artificial lens, ensuring that you can see properly.
Cataract surgery is a safe procedure that typically takes an hour or less. You won't be kept in a hospital and can return to your daily life very soon after the procedure is complete. Keep in mind that putting off cataract surgery will only allow your vision to worsen, and it could become so bad that you can no longer see clearly while doing things like driving. Don't let this happen to you. Get in touch with an eye doctor and schedule your cataract consultation right away.
When you look in the mirror and focus on your eyes, what do you see? Hopefully you see a strong and vibrant person — someone who enjoys and embraces life. Hopefully you also see a set of healthy eyes, although that can be tough to determine just with a glance in the mirror. Eyes can look healthy on the surface when really something sinister is going on inside of them. That's one reason why visiting the eye doctor is so important.
If you would like to learn more about eye health, optometrists, and even contact lenses, you've come to the right place. We curated the articles on this website very carefully to provide you with the best information on these topics.