Your cataract surgery recovery should be short and uneventful, as long as your health is good and

you don't have other major eye problems. Statistics also show that your chances of a good outcome
and sharper vision after surgery are excellent.

Uncomplicated cataract surgery often takes no longer than about 10 minutes to perform. But
immediately after the surgery, you will need to rest in a recovery area until you are less groggy from
sedation or anesthesia. Typically this takes about 30 minutes to an hour.

You must have someone available to drive you home after the procedure. You'll be given a pair
of sunglasses to wear on the trip home to protect your eye from bright light and glare.

If you are sleepy or tired when you get home, you might want to rest in bed for a few hours.
Depending on your cataract surgeon's advice, you may be able to remove the protective shield
placed over your eye within several hours after the procedure.

Just remember that you will need to tape the shield back over your eye at night or during naps, for
protection while you recover from cataract surgery, at least for several days.

What Is The Typical Cataract Surgery Recovery Time?

Don't be alarmed if your vision seems cloudy, blurry or distorted after you first remove the eye shield.
It can take some time for your visual system to adjust to the removal of the cataract and adapt to
the intraocular lens used to replace your eye's natural lens.

During this adaptation period, some patients even report seeing "wavy" vision or distortions. This
phenomenon, if present, should last only an hour or so.

You may also develop red and bloodshot eyes because of temporary damage to blood vessels on
the surface of the "white" of your eye (sclera) during cataract surgery. As your eye heals, the
redness should dissipate very quickly within several days.

If you received an injection of anesthesia through the skin into the lower portion of your eye, you
may notice some bruising similar to a black eye. This, too, should fade within a few days.

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Many patients report clear vision within several hours after cataract surgery. But each person heals
differently, and you may need as long as a week or two before you see images in their sharpest
focus.

Typically, you will have a follow-up appointment with your cataract surgeon the day after the
procedure to make sure there are no complications. If you don't notice any improvement in blurry
vision or you feel eye pain or significant discomfort in the days following this visit, you should report
this to your surgeon.
Sometimes people report some dry eye or "scratchiness" after cataract surgery. But these
sensations should subside as your eye heals, unless you already had problems with dry eyes prior
to having the procedure.

Your cataract surgery recovery should be complete in about a month, when your eye is completely
healed.

How Can You Achieve The Best Cataract Surgery

Recovery?
You might be surprised at how good you feel and how easily you will be able to resume normal
activities even the day after cataract surgery.

However, you should observe a few precautions during the first week or so, to make sure you avoid
developing an infection or sustaining an injury to your eye while it heals.

Your eye doctor typically will prescribe antibiotic eye drops to prevent infection and anti-inflammatory
eye drops to help reduce any internal inflammation. You'll need to apply the eye drops several times
daily for about the first week during your cataract surgery recovery.

Depending on the amount of postoperative inflammation you have, you may need the drops for a
few weeks to a month. Make sure you use these eye drops exactly as prescribed.

Oral pain relievers such as acetaminophen may be prescribed, if needed. Typically, however, you
should feel only slight discomfort after cataract surgery.

Watch this video about how cataract surgery works.

For a safe and speedy cataract surgery recovery, follow these tips:

1. Don't drive on the first day.

2. Don't do any heavy lifting or strenuous activity for a few weeks.

3. Immediately after the procedure, avoid bending over, to prevent putting extra pressure on
your eye.
 4. If at all possible, don't sneeze or vomit right after surgery.

5. Be careful walking around after surgery, and don't bump into doors or other objects.

6. To reduce risk of infection, avoid swimming or using a hot tub during the first week.

7. Don't expose your eye to irritants such as grime, dust and wind during the first few weeks
after surgery.

8. Don't rub your eye, which is a good idea even when you aren't recovering from surgery.

A protective patch will be placed over your eye following cataract surgery. (Image: Vance
Thompson Vision)
Generally speaking, you should be able to perform these activities within a few hours of your
surgery:

 Computer work
 Light TV watching
 Showering or bathing
For the best cataract surgery recovery possible, follow your doctor's detailed instructions about how
to protect your eye following your procedure. Usually these instructions will be given to you as a
handout that you can take home with you on surgery day.

If you need cataract surgery in both eyes, your surgeon usually will wait at least a few days to two
weeks for your first eye to recover before performing a procedure on the second eye.

Cataract Surgery Recovery And Typical Outcomes

Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most commonly performed surgical procedures in the
United States. More than 3 million cataract surgeries are performed in the U.S. each year, and most
people have excellent outcomes with no cataract surgery complications.

Past studies show:

  Almost 96 percent of eyes that had no other problems such as other eye diseases prior to a
cataract procedure achieved at least 20/40 uncorrected distance visual acuity, which legally
is good enough to drive without eyeglasses or contact lenses.

 In all eyes, including those with pre-existing eye conditions other than cataracts, almost 90
percent of all patients had good outcomes.

 Fewer than 2 percent of eyes had sight-threatening complications.

In rare cases, sight-threatening cataract surgery complications such as endophthalmitis — an

inflammation of the inside of the eye, usually caused by an eye infection — can occur.

People who experience serious complications often have other health conditions such as diabetes or
high blood pressure.

A relatively common complication of cataract surgery that usually can be treated easily is posterior
capsular opacification (PCO), which can cause your vision to become cloudy months or years after
cataract removal. A simple laser procedure called a posterior capsulotomy usually can clear up the
cloudiness and restore sharp vision.

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Kehadiran katarak seringkali tak disadari penderitanya. Sebab penyakit mata ini
memang biasanya berkembang secara perlahan dan tak meninmbulkan rasa sakit pada
mata. Katarak itu sendiri merupakan penyakit mata yang sering dikaitkan dengan usia
lanjut. Penyakit ini dapat menyerang salah satu mata atau bahkan keduanya sekaligus.
Pada dasarnya mata memiliki bagian lensa yang menjadi jalan masuk cahaya sampai
ke belakang mata. Hanya saja, pada penderita katarak, kondisinya tidak demikian.
Pada penderita katarak, terdapat noda keruh yang terbentuk dari sejumlah protein
yang masuk ke lensa mata. Noda tersebut lama-lama menutupi lensa mata dan
membuat cahaya sulit diterima retina. Akibatnya pandangan menjadi kabur. Bila hal
tersebut dibiarkan dan tak diobati, pandangan Anda akan etrsu memburuk dan bisa
berakhir dengan kebutaan. Untuk memudahkan Anda mengenali katarak, berikut
beberapa gejala yang bisa Anda waspadai:
1. Pandangan mata kabur, seolah ada bayangan atau asap. Noda keruh pada lensa yang
terus berkembang akan membuat pandangn Anda buram dan lama-lama membuat
Anda sulit mengenali suatu obyek.
2. Lukisan pada mata. Awalnya, katarak akan timbul dalam ukuran yang sangat kecil
dan membuat pandangan mata kabur. Namun jika tersu dibiarkan maka akan tampak
awan pada mata. Bagian hitam bola mata akan mengalami perubahan warna.
3. Sulit melihat di malam hari. Pada penderita katarak, mata yang terserang biasanya
akan tampak lebih kuning atau cokelat. Hal ini akan membuat Anda kesulitan melihat
suatu obyek di malam hari.
4. Sensitif pada cahaya. Penderita katarak biasanya sensitif pada cahaya karena
ketidakmampuan retina dalam menerima cahaya. Lensa matapun tidak dapat fokus
pada cahaya untuk dikirim ke retina.
5. Sering mengganti kacamata. Anda merasa perlu lebih sering mengganti kacamata?
Ketidaknyamanan akibat ketidakmampuan mata dalam menangkap suatu obyek
karena katarak, memang membuat penderitantya merasa perlu mengganti kacamata
lebih sering.
6. Cincin di sumber cahaya. Jika mata Anda melihat banyak cincin di sumber cahaya,
waspadalah. Sebab itu adalah gejala lain dari katarak. Hal tersebut dikarenakan
cahaya yang masuk ke bagian mata menghasilkan difraksi. Akibatnya pantulan yang
timbul dari cahaya tampak mirip dengan cincin pada bagian sumber cahaya. Katarak
tidak dapat dicegah dengan konsumsi vitamin tertentu atau tindakan lain. Itulah
sebabnya mengenali gejala katarak sejak dini sangat penting. Tujuannya tentu saja
agar dapat segera diobati.

A cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil.

Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over age 40 and is the principal
cause of blindness in the world. In fact, there are more cases of cataracts worldwide than there are
of glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy combined, according to Prevent
Blindness America (PBA).

Today, cataracts affect more than 22 million Americans age 40 and older. And as the U.S.
population ages, more than 30 million Americans are expected to have cataracts by the year 2020,
PBA says.

Types of cataracts include:

  A subcapsular cataract occurs at the back of the lens. People with diabetes or those taking
high doses of steroid medications have a greater risk of developing a subcapsular cataract.

 A nuclear cataract forms deep in the central zone (nucleus) of the lens. Nuclear cataracts
usually are associated with aging.

 A cortical cataract is characterized by white, wedge-like opacities that start in the periphery
of the lens and work their way to the center in a spoke-like fashion. This type of cataract
occurs in the lens cortex, which is the part of the lens that surrounds the central nucleus.

Cataract Symptoms and Signs

A cataract starts out small and at first has little effect on your vision. You may notice that your vision
is blurred a little, like looking through a cloudy piece of glass or viewing an impressionist painting.

Hazy, blurred vision may mean you have a cataract.

A cataract may make light from the sun or a lamp seem too bright or glaring. Or you may notice
when you drive at night that the oncoming headlights cause more glare than before. Colors may not
appear as bright as they once did.

The type of cataract you have will affect exactly which symptoms you experience and how soon they
will occur. When a nuclear cataract first develops, it can bring about a temporary improvement in
your near vision, called "second sight."

Unfortunately, the improved vision is short-lived and will disappear as the cataract worsens. On the
other hand, a subcapsular cataract may not produce any symptoms until it's well-developed.

If you think you have a cataract, see an eye doctor for an exam to find out for sure.

What Causes Cataracts?

The lens inside the eye works much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina for clear vision.
It also adjusts the eye's focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away.
The lens is mostly made of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps
the lens clear and lets light pass through it.

But as we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens.
This is a cataract, and over time, it may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder to
see.

No one knows for sure why the eye's lens changes as we age, forming cataracts. But researchers
worldwide have identified factors that may cause cataracts or are associated with cataract
development. Besides advancing age, cataract risk factors include:

 Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight and other sources

 Diabetes
 Hypertension
 Obesity
 Smoking
 Prolonged use of corticosteroid medications
 Statin medicines used to reduce cholesterol
 Previous eye injury or inflammation
 Previous eye surgery
 Hormone replacement therapy
 Significant alcohol consumption
 High myopia
 Family history
One theory of cataract formation that's gaining favor is that many cataracts are caused by oxidative
changes in the human lens. This is supported by nutrition studies that show fruits and vegetables
high in antioxidants may help prevent certain types of cataracts (see below).

Cataract Prevention
Though there is significant controversy about whether cataracts can be prevented, a number of
studies suggest certain nutrients and nutritional supplements may reduce your risk of cataracts.
One large, 10-year study of female health professionals found that higher dietary intakes of vitamin
E and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin from food and supplements were associated with
significantly decreased risks of cataract.

Good food sources of vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds and spinach. Good sources of
lutein and zeaxanthin include spinach, kale and other green, leafy vegetables.

Other studies have shown antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C and foods containing omega-3
fatty acids may reduce cataract risk.

Visit our Nutrition & Eyes section to read more about eye vitamins and how a healthful diet and good
nutrition may help prevent cataracts.

Another step you can take to reduce your risk of cataracts is to wear protective sunglasses that
block 100 percent of the sun's UV rays when you are outdoors.

CATARACTS AND YOUR DIET

Does Eating Less Meat Reduce Your Risk for
Cataracts?
This interesting question has received a lot of public comment since researchers at the University of
Oxford published a study in March 2011 that compared cataract incidence with dietary intake.

Could eating more greens and less meat help you delay the onset of cataracts?

The study, as reported in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, examined the dietary surveys
filled out by 27,670 self-reported nondiabetic people aged 40 or over and monitored their medical
records to see if and when cataracts developed. Strong correlations showed up between cataract
risk and diet type.

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Cataract Treatment
When symptoms begin to appear, you may be able to improve your vision for a while using new
glasses, strong bifocals, magnification, appropriate lighting or other visual aids.
Think about surgery when your cataracts have progressed enough to seriously impair your vision
and affect your daily life.

Many people consider poor vision an inevitable fact of aging, but cataract surgery is a simple,
relatively painless procedure to regain vision.

Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision. In fact, it is the most frequently performed
surgery in the United States, with more than 3 million Americans undergoing cataract surgery each
year, according to PBA.

Nine out of 10 people who have cataract surgery regain very good vision, somewhere between
20/20 and 20/40.

During surgery, the surgeon will remove your clouded lens and in most cases replace it with a clear,
plastic intraocular lens (IOL).

New IOLs are being developed all the time to make the surgery less complicated for surgeons and
the lenses more helpful to patients. Presbyopia-correcting IOLs potentially help you see at all
distances, not just one. Another new type of IOL blocks both ultraviolet and blue light rays, which
research indicates may damage the retina.

Read more on this website about what to expect if you have cataract surgery and how to deal with
rare cataract surgery complications.

Also, men should be aware that certain prostate drugs can cause intraoperative floppy iris
syndrome (IFIS) during a cataract procedure.

Eyewear After Cataract Surgery

In most cases, unless you choose presbyopia-correcting IOLs, you will still need reading
glasses after cataract surgery. You may also need progressive lenses to correct mild
residual refractive errors as well as presbyopia.

For the best vision and comfort possible with glasses prescribed after cataract surgery, ask your
optician to explain the benefits of anti-reflective coating and photochromic lenses.

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References & Notes >>

Gary Heiting, OD, and Judith Lee also contributed to this article.

Page updated May 14, 2018