The cataracts have finally limited your vision more than you can tolerate. Your eye doctor has you scheduled soon for cataract surgery. This is a common procedure with nearly two million such surgeries performed every year. Here is what you can expect during the procedure and the first few days after you go home.

The Day of the Surgery

This procedure is done in the doctor's office and you'll go home shortly after is completed. It's a good idea to have a friend take you to the appointment and back home afterward. You'll be fatigued and some of the medication you receive will make driving difficult.

After you've checked in for your appointment, you'll be made comfortable in a chair that reclines to give the doctor better access to your eye. The doctor or their assistant will put drops in your eye. One set of drops numbs your eye so you'll feel nothing during the procedure. The second set of drops dilates the eye, which creates the sensitivity to light.

Once the anesthetic drops take effect, the doctor makes a small incision in the tissue that contains the cataract. A small probe is inserted through this incision which breaks up the cataract into smaller pieces that are then removed. Into the space, the doctor places an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOT). This is a man-made lens which will have some vision correction built into it. The IOT is also resistant to future cataracts.

Antibiotic drops are placed in your eye to prevent infection and the procedure is complete. The incision does not need to be sutured closed and will heal naturally.

You'll go to a quiet recovery area to rest for a few minutes. The doctor will check on you and, once satisfied that you're reacting well to the procedure, you'll be sent home.

The First Few Days at Home

Your eye may ache for a few days after the procedure. An over-the-counter medication, such as ibuprofen, will likely take care of this pain. Your doctor may also give you a prescription for a stronger pain medication in case the ache prevents you from sleeping. You may also see some mild bruising around the eye that will go away in a few days along with the pain.

Mild swelling in your eye will decrease over the next few days and, as it does, your vision will become clearer. You'll have a follow up appointment with your eye doctor who will check on your progress. When your doctor is sure that the affected eye is well on its way to recovery, you'll be able to make an appointment to have the other cataract done, if they occurred in both eyes.

Talk to a center like Coastal Eye Care to learn more.