Eight things you need to know when preparing for cataract surgery

Eight things you need to know when preparing for cataract surgery

Caring about your eye should be your topmost priority. The eye is a sensitive part of the body. There’s a saying that “the eye is the light of the body.” Once your eye is faulty, then the whole body is at risk. When the vision is defective, the entire body is in darkness. You can imagine how disastrous it would be for an eye not to be aware of what the leg, the mouth, and other body parts are doing. 

Therefore, it is not something inhuman when our eyes develop a fault. All we need to do is to rise and do the needful. Humanity is blessed with perfect corrective measures to restore everything to its formal state. So, for people that are suffering from cataracts, there’s a way out. Of course, you already know that the way out is by undergoing cataract surgery

Are you seeing strange feelings like having blurry vision, trouble seeing at night, and glare of light? And you have consulted the doctor for a series of tests. The doctor then told you that you’re battling a cataract. There’s no cause for alarm. You are going to do what your eye doctor said. Yes! It’s cataract surgery. It would be nice to talk about cataracts and cataract surgery for better understanding.

What is a cataract?

Cataracts occur when there’s a solid or cloudy zone in the eye’s lens. This eye problem regularly begins when the protein in the eye generates clumps that prevent the lens from sending or transporting clear images to the retina. Don’t forget that the work of the retina is to change the light that comes via the lens into signals. Also, the retina leads calls to the optic nerve before the brain receives them. One fearful thing about cataract is that it occurs bit by bit and if one joke with it, it could result in total blindness.

What is cataract surgery?

Cataract surgery is eradicating the affected natural lens and replacing it with an artificial one. This surgery is done or carried out by a professional ophthalmologist. I can boldly tell you that everyone that has gone through this process can say something good about it. It is not as scary as it sounds to the ears. In some parts of the world, people get scared whenever they hear “surgery.” You don’t need any flattering words before you believe that the only way to restore one’s vision perfectly is by undergoing cataract surgery. It is the easiest and the safest method of getting one’s eye back to work. Don’t be deceived. People can tell you that all you need is eyeglasses. I am not saying eyeglasses cannot work. But I know that eyeglasses cannot perfectly correct your lens as undergoing this surgery would do.

Eight things you need to know when preparing for cataract surgery

Things you need to know when going for cataract surgery:

  1. Pay attention to all changes in your eye health: There’s a need for you to pay attention to the changes that occur in your eye health starting from the day you’ve concluded going for cataract surgery. If you notice any changes in your eye health, you need to inform your doctor. It is essential to carry your eye doctor along. Telling your eye doctor will help the process. Your eye doctor may want to schedule an additional appointment to examine your eye based on how you are feeling. 
  1. Converse your medications with the doctor: Some medicines may increase your risk of bleeding during cataract surgery. It is expedient for you to let your eye doctor know the medications you took to treat other symptoms. You need to open up to your eye doctor. Your eye doctor may advise you to change the dosage frequency, or maybe you should stop using those medications. 
Eight things you need to know when preparing for cataract surgery
  1. Use eye drops: It is expedient for you to use eye drops as prescribed to you by the doctor. It may be an antibiotic eye drop. I mean, your eye doctor might inform you to use antibiotics eye drops a few days before the surgery process. All you need to do is ensure that you follow the instruction on how to use the eye drops prescribed to you by the eye doctor. 
  1. Avoid wearing contact lenses: You must take note of this point very well. You must stop wearing contact lenses for at least three days before the surgery. If you don’t stop using contact lenses before the surgery, it can irritate your eye. And once there’s irritation, the cataract surgery process might be delayed. 
  1. Wear comfortable clothes and avoid cosmetics: Make sure you put on comfortable cloth on the day of surgery. Also, it is expedient for you to avoid using makeup or rubbing your face with cream on the day of the surgery. Makeup is common among women, and it can affect the surgery process. Your surgeon might find it hard to hold the skin in the face if your face is oily or has been attached with makeup. Therefore, you need to wear comfortable cloth to the theater room and avoid using cosmetics.
Eight things you need to know when preparing for cataract surgery
  1. Don’t eat on the day of the surgery: If you want to undergo cataract surgery, it is expedient to know that you should stay away from eating and drinking for twelve hours before the surgery. 
  1. Avoid alcohol: If you can’t do without taking alcohol and you are planning to go for cataract surgery, then you need to look for a way to stop it. Alcohol in the body can scatter the whole process. Therefore, your eye doctor will advise you to stay out of alcohol for at least two months before cataract surgery. 
  1. Ask questions: Nobody will trouble you by asking questions about the process. It’s a good thing for one to know what the surgery entails and what it is all about. One thing about questioning is that it helps information to be intact in one’s mind.

Other articles:

  1. Things you need to know before, during, and after cataract surgery
  2. Things to expect after undergoing cataract surgery