What to Expect After Cataract Surgery
Having surgery to remove your cataracts can seriously change your life. This might seem like quite a big step to take, but cataract surgery is actually very quick and straightforward.
If you have found that your vision (and therefore your independence and quality of life) has been impacted by cataracts, then removal is certainly a sensible choice. This is a routine surgery that will be done as an outpatient procedure, with the results being apparent within just a few days.
What Are Cataracts?
Inside of your eye, you have a lens that helps you to see properly. When this lens becomes cloudy, this is known as developing cataracts. This is a process that will slowly get worse over the course of several years and most commonly affects people over the age of 60. However, it is a health condition that can afflict younger people, although this is much less common.
Your eyes will undergo changes as you age. The natural aging process is a common reason that cataracts present, as well as smoking, eye damage from injury, sun damage, diabetes, and the frequent use of corticosteroid medications. If one or both of your parents experienced cataracts, then you may also be more prone to suffering with this issue.
What Happens During Cataract Surgery?
When you decide to have surgery to correct your cataracts, the surgeon will remove the lens that has become cloudy. This will then be replaced with an artificial lens known as an intraocular lens. Your surgeon will be able to tell you all about intraocular lenses and how they work if you are curious about this.
There are not many risks that you will have to concern yourself with when considering this procedure for yourself. The majority of surgeries performed to correct cataracts are considered to be successful.
Recovering From Cataract Surgery
You might be surprised to discover that this kind of surgical procedure usually only takes ten to fifteen minutes. Once your surgery is complete, you will need to spend some time recovering from this procedure before you can go home.
Your surgeon will usually require you to rest in the clinic for up to one hour after your surgery. This is so the anesthesia can leave your body and you can be monitored. It will be essential that you have someone take you home afterwards as your vision will be compromised temporarily.
The wonderful benefits of cataract surgery are not always immediate, and you may have blurry vision for several days afterwards. During this time, it is important that you get some rest and that you follow all of your post-operative advice very carefully.
Life After Cataracts
After a successful operation to remove your cataracts, you can expect that your eyesight will be much better.
You will be able to see more clearly and this will mean you can get back to doing the hobbies and activities that you most enjoy. You will also be able to spend more quality time with your friends and family and regain any independence that you lost because of poor eyesight.