Whether you or a close friend or family member are waiting for their appointment at a hospital to have cataracts removed, you will be understandably feeling a huge mix of emotions and it can sometimes feel more than a bit overwhelming.
Like in other areas of life, both personal and professional, preparation and knowledge are the two best ways to best understand and subsequently alleviate your worries and fears as much as possible.
With that being said, continue reading for a detailed guide step-by-step guide to a cataract operation.
Before The Operation Begins
It is important, before the day of your cataract removal arrives, that you are as familiar as possible with what the day will involve and have also arranged for someone to drive you to and from the surgery as it is strongly advisable not to drive yourself after you have had the operation.
If you experience what is commonly referred to as ‘White Coat Syndrome’, you should arrange an appointment with your medical doctor to ascertain what you can do to keep as calm as possible on the day of the operation. Additionally, searching for a cataract surgery near me will ensure that you do not have to travel too far on the day of the procedure.
If your blood pressure reading is too high, the surgeon is unlikely to carry out the procedure on that day.
The Operation Itself
Cataract removal only takes approximately thirty minutes to complete from start to finish and the essential steps during the operation taken by your surgeon will unravel like so:
- Eye drops are administered to sufficiently dilate your pupil
- Topical anesthesia occurs to the eye and surrounding areas
- The eye is cleaned with antiseptic and the eyelid is pinned back with a lid clip so the eyeball is adequately exposed
- A micro-incision occurs on the eyeball
- A jelly-like substance is injected into the eye, which is called a viscoelastic injection
- A round opening is created in the bag containing the lens with the cataract
- Fluid is inserted between the bag and the lens
- The cataract is cut into fragments and removed from the bag
- The new lens is folded and inserted into the bag then naturally unfolds and positions itself in the correct location
- The jelly-like substance is removed
- The wound is sealed, either with an antibiotic injection or even a small, singular and entirely dissolvable stitch
After The Operation
After-care is absolutely paramount and of crucial importance and begins as soon as you return home.
For the remainder of the day, you will have a plastic covering over your eye and it is important to keep this secure overnight. In the morning, remove the cover and wash the eye with provided pads and cool water, then proceed to apply the eyedrops as prescribed.
Additionally, avoid cleaning, dusting, gardening and bending down for the entire recovery period from the operation.
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