Q. Why does it feel like there is something in my eye after my surgery?
You‘ve had a microscopic incision on the surface of your eye. When you blink, you may feel a foreign body sensation until the incision heals. This sensation may relapse after recovery if you develop dry eye or allergic eye. After surgery, our patients find using Artificial Tears helps to alleviate their symptoms.
Q. The eyedrops, given to me to use after surgery, sting my eye. Is this normal?
It is normal for some eyedrops to sting or burn on installation mainly due to the preservatives in them. Make sure you’re using artificial tear drops frequently.
Q. After surgery, I noticed a spot of blood on the white of my eye , should I be concerned?
The white part of the eye is covering the inner parts of the eye. The thin blood vessels beneath this layer can break during the surgery due to instrumentation and the blood gets trapped and seen as red spots post-surgery. This will not affect your vision and will resolve on its own.
Q . On the way home from surgery I saw huge halos around all the lights. What causes this?
This dramatic glare was due to the fact that your pupil was still dilated from the surgery. The medicine will also cause a blurring of your vision.
Q. My glare problem has improved dramatically since the surgery, but I still occasionally notice halos or streaks on lights at night. What causes this?
Glare may be caused by many factors. A slight need for glasses (refractive error) is one of the most common reasons you may notice slight glare at night. Also, some patients experience minor corneal swelling after surgery that may cause temporary glare. Multifocal lens implant does give night glare and halos which is often explained before the surgery.
Your implant is a single-focus lens. If your lens was chosen for distance vision, you will need reading glasses for close-range work. Some patients elect to have one eye focused for close vision so they can read without glasses. However, this may compromise distance vision. Patients who require precise distance vision do best with both eyes focused for distance and reading glasses for near.
Q. Is it safe to resume activities I enjoy such as golf and reading?
We encourage you to resume normal activities as soon as you wish. Routine activities such as bend- ing will not harm your surgery. Do not lift heavy items.
Q. How soon may I resume driving after surgery?
Most cataract surgery patients enjoy a significant improvement in their vision within the first 24 hours. You may drive when you feel comfortable.
Q. Is it safe to fly after cataract surgery?
Flying will not harm your eye after cataract surgery.
Q. When may I wear make-up again?
You may wear makeup on face and use lipsticks but eye wear should be avoided for 2 weeks.
Q. How long will my implant last?
The intraocular lens is placed permanently in your eye and will not “wear out”.
Q. Can my eye reject the lens implant?
No, since the intraocular lens is not human tissue, your body cannot reject it.
Q. Was laser used to remove my cataract?
Your cataract was removed by ultrasound, not the laser. In a process called phacoemulsification, sound waves gently break up the cataract and it is removed from the eye by using vacuum dynamics. However, lasers are presently being developed to remove cataracts.
Q. Should I wear my old glasses after surgery?
Wearing your old glasses will not harm your eyes, but since the prescription won’t be optimal for your surgery eye, you will probably see best without them. Most patients find it easiest to only wear glasses for reading. We aim not only to remove the cataract and replace it with the best suitable lens but have life independent of glasses.
Q . I see great at a distance, but why can’t I read without glasses?
Your implant is a single-focus lens. If your lens was chosen for distance vision, you will need reading glasses for close-range work. Some patients elect to have one eye focused for close vision so they can read without glasses. However, this may compromise distance vision. Patients who require precise distance vision, do best with both eyes focused for distance and reading glasses for near. Your reading distance also may change according to the lens selected.
