School me about cataract surgery

[RonT (aka Ombligo)]

So I found out today that I'm having cataract surgery next month. I'm fine with it, but curious about what to expect.

Is it local anesthesia or general? How long is the recovery? Soreness afterwards? Since only one eye is done at a time, do I still wear my glasses in between the surgeries (I know I'll be getting a prescription afterwards as I'll still need glasses due to double vision)? Will I wer a patch for awhile? Advice?

I know these things will become clear when I go for preop, but that's a month away, and I'm curious now.

[dad@home]

So I found out today that I'm having cataract surgery next month. I'm fine with it, but curious about what to expect.

Is it local anesthesia or general? How long is the recovery? Soreness afterwards? Since only one eye is done at a time, do I still wear my glasses in between the surgeries (I know I'll be getting a prescription afterwards as I'll still need glasses due to double vision)? Will I wer a patch for awhile? Advice?

I know these things will become clear when I go for preop, but that's a month away, and I'm curious now.

I’m not an ophthalmologist but rather an anesthesiologist who has worked with a number of them doing cataracts.

In the dark ages a general was necessary and recovery was slow. Local anesthetic techniques regional block with a “retrobulbar injection “and moderate sedation were used with huge success. Surgical technique is so good now that almost all are done with topical anesthetic (no needles!) and minimal or no sedation. Quick recovery.
Most of the cases I’ve done recently (I’m retired now) my sedation was a gentle hand hold and reassurance. 

Eye patches, glasses etc are up to the surgeons wish.

Best of luck

[special]

message from my 75 year old neighbor. He did one eye first, then a few weeks (months?) later the second eye.

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sorry if the image is too large, I tried to add the size but I don't think it works.

[rgG]

Lots of my friends and my mom and MIL had the operation. I will probably have to have it soon
It’s now done under very little anesthesia.
You will be seeing pretty much immediately, but you will have to wear an eye shield at night, just to keep you from putting pressure on the eye or anything.
There will be drops to put in your eyes before and after.
Ask about paying a little more and getting the combo drops for afterwards. It apparently cuts the number of times you have to do the drops down a lot.
You will probably be given lots of “upgrade” options for the lenses, depending on your eyes and what you want. The basic lenses are covered by Medicare but the multi-focus are extra.
There may also be the upgrade option to do the procedure via laser, and I think that comes into play if you need an astigmatism corrected.
They usually do one eye and the next either one or two weeks after. Usually you can see well enough out of the fixed eye just to pop the lens out of that side of your glasses.
That’s about all I can think of, but they will go over all the details at your preop measurement appointment.
HTH

[NewtonMP2100]

....dad did it one eye at a time.....he is a major complainer so if no issues with him, should be a breeze......good luck.....!!

[anonymouse1]

If you have the money, I recommend the multifocal lenses over the single focal lenses. They let you see more clearly, overall punk arrangement distance. I went for the single focal length lenses, and I wish I’d gone for the multi.

[RonT (aka Ombligo)]

Thanks to everyone who has replied; you gave me some great information.

I have a few issues, and the doctor said that while it is technically possible to address everything, she can not recommend doing so. To that end, I'll take care of the farsightedness and astigmatism and use glasses for the nearsightedness (yeah, I have both). I will still need glasses anyway due to double vision, as prisms are not an option for new implants.

Anyway, now I have information and can better formulate questions to ask.

[kahjot]

I had mine corrected for distance. I still need glasses for reading, and to somewhat correct my left eye, so I got progressive lenses. I don't mind wearing glasses. I had to wear a patch for a few days: after the first surgery I wore the patch over left eye with glasses awkwardly perched over that so that I could see out of my right eye. When I had the right eye done 2 weeks later, I could see well enough with the left eye that the old glasses were useless. I had to wait a few weeks for everything to settle down to get a the new glasses for reading.

[RonT (aka Ombligo)]

Thanks Kahjot.

Sounds like what I am facing is similar to your experience