Denton County Living Well Magazine November/December 2017 | Page 22

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.
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