Collin County Living Well Magazine November/December 2017 | Page 14

Cataract Surgery Q&A
Courtesy Key-Whitman Eye Center
What to Expect Before, During and After
W
e’ll all develop cataracts as we age which will
gradually affect quality of vision. But there’s
good news! With cataract surgery, the old lens
is removed and replaced with an artificial intra-
ocular lens. It’s safe, it’s painless and effective!
If you’re considering laser cataract surgery, you most likely
have a lot of questions. Key-Whitman’s Dr. Martin L. Faber
answers some of the most commonly asked questions.
Question 1:
What are the common symptoms of cataracts?
The most common complaint is night vision difficulties,
where they experience a lot of glare, halos and starburst
symptoms, especially when driving. People also complain
of a haze or fog obstructing their vision and will notice their
vision gets blurrier over time.
Question 2:
How do I prepare for cataract surgery?
Before your procedure, you’ll undergo a preoperative exam
to ensure you are physically healthy enough to have surgery,
determine the level of correction needed and to review the
type of intraocular lens options available (monovision, ac-
commodative, multifocal, astigmatic correction, etc.).
Before a patient’s procedure, Key-Whitman’s counselors
walk the patient through the process, review insurance cov-
erage and ensure the lens option the patient selects best
meets their goals.
Question 3:
When is it time to get cataract surgery?
When cataracts have worsened to the point where they pre-
vent you from performing day-to-day tasks and interfere with
your quality of life, it’s time to consider cataract surgery.
Essentially, we assume how well we see is normal. But if it
gets to the point where you’re afraid to drive at night, can’t
see well enough to safely take your medication or do house-
hold chores, and feel a loss of independence due to failing
vision, cataract surgery can allow you to enjoy life again.
Question 4:
What misconceptions do people have about cata-
ract surgery, and what can I really expect during
the procedure?
In the past, cataract surgery was quite invasive, there were
fewer lens options, and healing took much longer. The biggest
misconceptions people have is that the procedure is painful
and complicated. That couldn’t be farther from the truth today.
Question 5:
What can I expect following cataract surgery?
After your surgery, the surgeon will review the procedure
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COLLIN COUNTY Living Well Magazine | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017
with you and address any questions you have. Typically,
patients leave with a protective eye patch, which will be
removed during their follow-up visit the next day.
Key-Whitman uses the most advanced technology avail-
able, so healing occurs more quickly today and with fewer
complications. Once the eyes have healed, most patients
are surprised. They can see clearly again and notice how
colors are much more vibrant than what they could see
with cataracts. Depending on the type of intraocular lenses
patients choose, many become less dependent on glasses.
You should also be aware that the surgeon won’t operate on
both eyes during the same visit. Surgeries are typically sched-
uled one to six weeks apart, with three weeks being the aver-
age time. This allows plenty of time for the first eye to heal and
the patient to realize the full extent of correction in that eye.
Cataract Surgery Checklist
Prior to surgery:
1. Schedule a consultation and pre-operative eye exam to
verify you are a good candidate for cataract surgery
and if any medications you take could interfere with
the surgery.
2. Meet with a patient counselor to discuss questions, ver-
ify insurance coverage, finalize the type of intraocular
lens you would like implanted and schedule surgery.
3. If your eye surgeon recommends antibiotic and non-ste-
roidal anti-inflammatory drops prior to surgery, receive
your eye drop prescriptions and review the drop se-
quence required (drops per day, type of drops, period
of time prior to surgery, etc.).
4. Arrange for a friend or family member to accompany
you on surgery day as you won’t be allowed to drive
yourself home due to the twilight sedation.
Day of surgery:
1. Go through pre-surgery prep, vitals check, numbing
drops and twilight sedation.
2. Undergo surgery (typically lasts 20 minutes or less) and
recover from sedation.
3. Recap surgery with surgical team, during which time
vitals are checked and a piece of tape or protective eye
shield is applied to the eye.
4. Review post-surgical instructions.
5. If on an eye drop protocol, receive post-surgical drops
and drop sequence.
6. Plan to rest at home for the remainder of the day. Abide
by any physical restrictions required by the surgeon.
Days and weeks following surgery:
1. Next day, return for first follow-up visit with a friend or
family member and schedule next follow-up visit.
2. Diligently follow any drop protocol provided.