Cataract FAQ

Is surgery the only option to treat a cataract?

Cataract surgery only becomes necessary if your cataracts have progressed to the point where you are not happy with your vision and are seeking an improvement. However, once you reach this point, surgery is currently the only option for effective treatment.

Does cataract surgery hurt?

Thanks to numbing drops and medications to help you relax, this procedure involves minimal discomfort. You may feel slight pressure during the procedure, but no sharp pain.

Will I be asleep during cataract surgery?

Since this procedure does not take very long, general anesthesia is not necessary, and you will be awake. Your surgeon will use a local/topical anesthetic to numb your eye and you will be given a mild sedative to calm you down.

I have cataracts in both eyes. Will the doctor treat both at the same time?

Typically, doctors will perform surgery in the second eye two or three weeks after the first eye. All patients are different, so talk to your surgeon about what is right for you.

How long will I be in the hospital?

Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure, and will not require an overnight hospital stay.

How long before I can see after surgery?

Every patient and every eye is different, but patients commonly see well enough to drive the day after surgery. It is important to remember that some patients’ visual potential may be limited by other eye conditions, such as glaucoma, corneal disease or macular degeneration.

What is an IOL?

An IOL is an IntraOcular Lens. It is implanted in the eye after the cataract-affected natural lens is removed to provide focusing power.

Will I need cataract surgery again?

Cataract surgery is a one-time operation per eye. Although the cataracts will not return, it is possible that the new lens implant will develop a film or coating sometime during the first year after surgery. This film or opacification of the implant can be dealt with by having a yag laser capsulotomy. The yag laser removes the film from the implant in a matter of seconds and restores visual clarity in a matter of hours. This procedure is usually performed in-office on an out patient basis.

Will I Still Need Glasses After Surgery?

At Moyes Eye Center our goal is to restore your vision to the clarity and crispness that existed before the cataracts developed. Our dedication to using only the latest devices to measure your eyes allows many of our patients to function fairly well without glasses, though glasses are often needed for fine-tuning. For cataract patients who wish to have less dependence on glasses and contact lenses after cataract surgery, Moyes Eye Center offers premium IOLs that are specially designed to provide good vision at all distances. For more information on these lenses, click here.