In short: cataract surgery replaces the cloudy lens in your eye with a clear artificial lens. It is day surgery, so you go home the same day. The eye usually settles over a few weeks, and you use eye drops during that time.
This article goes through the operation step by step. To read about what a cataract is, the lens choices and the risks, see the cataract surgery page.
Before the operation
At a visit before the operation, your eye is measured. The measurements are used to work out the power of your new lens. You also decide with Dr Chin where you want your sight to be sharpest, for example far away or up close.
The clinic will give you instructions about:
- your medicines, including eye drops and any blood thinners
- contact lenses, which you may need to leave out for a few days before the operation
- eating and drinking on the day
Follow these instructions closely. Do not stop any prescribed medicine on your own.
You cannot drive yourself home after the operation, so arrange for someone to take you home.
On the day
When you arrive, drops are put in to widen your pupil.
You have local anaesthesia, usually with light sedation to help you relax. The eye is numbed with drops or an injection. An anaesthetist looks after you during the operation.
You stay awake, but you should not feel pain. You may see lights and movement, but not clear shapes or detail.
Dr Chin makes a small opening in the eye. The cloudy lens is broken into small pieces with ultrasound and removed, and the new lens is put in its place. The operation itself usually takes 15 to 30 minutes.
Afterwards, your eye may be covered with a clear plastic shield or a pad. You rest for a short time and then go home.
The first day or two
When the anaesthetic wears off, your eye may ache or feel gritty. Any sharper pain usually eases by the next day. Simple painkillers can help.
It is also common for:
- the eye to look red and to water
- the eyelid to be bruised, swollen or sticky
- your sight to be very blurred at first
These usually settle over the following days to weeks. If the eyelid is sticky, clean it gently with a cotton pad and water that has been boiled and cooled.
Your first check-up is usually the next day. Start your eye drops as you are told. They lower the risk of infection and inflammation (swelling) inside the eye.
The first few weeks
You can read and watch TV straight away.
To protect the eye while it heals:
- Use your eye drops for as long as you are told, usually for a few weeks.
- Wear the eye shield at night for about two weeks, so you do not rub the eye in your sleep.
- Do not rub or press on the eye.
You can shower and wash your hair. For the first two weeks:
- keep water and soap out of the eye
- do not put your head under water or go swimming
- do not wear eye make-up
- avoid heavy lifting and sport
If bright light bothers you, wear sunglasses.
Later check-ups make sure the eye is healing well.
Going back to work
Many people can go back to desk work a day or two after the operation, if they feel able to. If your work is physically demanding, ask Dr Chin when you can go back.
Driving
Do not drive yourself home after the operation. Before you drive again, your sight must meet the standard for driving, and Dr Chin should confirm that it is safe.
Your sight may not be good enough to drive while the eye is still blurred or while you wait for new glasses. It may also not be good enough if your two eyes see very differently before the second eye is done.
Glasses
After the operation, your old glasses may no longer be right for the operated eye. Depending on the lens you chose, you may still need glasses for some things, such as reading or driving.
New glasses are usually prescribed once the eye has settled, about three to six weeks after the operation. Until then, your old glasses or simple reading glasses from a shop may help.
Your other eye
If both eyes need surgery, they are done on separate days. The gap can be a few days or a few weeks, depending on your needs. Dr Chin will discuss the timing with you.
Later on
Months or years after the operation, the thin layer (capsule) behind the new lens can turn cloudy and blur your sight again. This is called posterior capsule opacification. See Dr Chin to have it checked. If it affects your sight, laser treatment may be an option.
Risks
Like any operation, cataract surgery has risks, but serious problems are rare. The cataract surgery page lists them.
When to call
Call straight away if:
- pain, redness or blurred sight is getting worse instead of easing, or becomes severe
- you suddenly lose sight
- you notice a shower of new floaters, flashes of light, or a dark curtain across your sight
Call the clinic at +65 6694 0400. Outside clinic hours, call the 24-hour answering service at +65 6535 8833, or go to a hospital A&E with eye services.
Related reading
- Cataract surgery: what a cataract is, the lens choices and the risks
- Floaters and flashes: when should I be worried?