Modern medicine has advanced faster than the human body can evolve. With the help of doctors and preventative care, people are living to eighty, which is almost double the human lifespan from just 150 years ago.
Our bodies still expect the twilight of our life to be around fifty or so, which is when many things start to go wrong: including the clouding of the cataract.
22 million Americans this year, with an average age of 60, will need cataract eye surgery. That’s a lot of people with cloudy vision!
If you or your parent need cataract surgery this year, it’s good to know what to expect ahead of time. We’ve got your guide to that and how to recover faster below.
What is a Cataract?
Your eye has many layers stacked up together. The layer you see is the iris, the pupil, and the cornea. Behind this outer layer is the lens, which is what cataract surgery corrects.
Over time, our lens can cloud up. The majority of lens clouding is due to age, but younger people experience this phenomenon occasionally.
As your lens starts to cloud, you may see halos from light sources, have blurry vision, and find you need more light to read, even if you have reading glasses.
Your ophthalmologist will start screening you for cataracts once you pass a certain age, which is just another reason not to miss your yearly eye exam.
If you’re a fit for getting surgery, your doctor will go over what to expect with you and direct you to someone who can go over cataract surgery cost information.
Cataract Eye Surgery: What to Expect
You won’t be put under for your cataract surgery, but you can request a sedative. Your surgeon will use pharmaceutical-grade numbing drops for your eye, stronger than what you can get over the counter.
You may feel some pressure during the surgery, but you won’t feel any pain. Cataract surgery only takes 15-30 minutes of hands-on operating time, so the experience will be over quickly.
After cataract surgery, your surgeon will cover your eye with an eye patch and give you eye drops with post-op directions. Most patients find that their recovery pain is manageable with over-the-counter meds, but your doctor can help you find solutions if things get worse.
Improving the Healing Process for Cataract Surgery
The best way to recover from eye surgery is to follow your post-op directions exactly. You won’t need a nurse or a medical professional to help you post-surgery, but having a friend or family member with you makes the process easier.
They can drive you home from the surgery and remind you to take your eye drops. If you’re uncomfortable administering the drops yourself, they can help you with that too.
If you follow your post-op directions perfectly and attend your follow-up, that should be all you need to heal well. Some general surgery recovery tips include:
- Stay hydrated
- Maintain good personal hygiene
- Rest while you recover
- Stay in touch with your doctor
- Don’t overdo it
- Talk to your doctor about preventative Gabapentin before surgery
With these tips, you should be on your way to a speedy recovery!
Healing from Eye Surgery: It’s All About the Drops
As we said above, the cataract surgery healing process is all about staying vigilant about your eye drops. The eye needs a wet environment to thrive and to heal.
The better you subscribe to the drop schedule, the better your outcome *should* be. That said, there are no guarantees in any medical procedure, including eye surgery. This is a safe technique, but complications are possible.
For more information about how to keep yourself in tip-top health, follow our health category on the blog.
