What Can I Expect During Cataract Surgery

Has your vision clouded over so that the world looks gray? Perhaps you’ve decided to have cataract surgery to restore normal vision so that you see bright colors and have a clear view of your world again.

Our board-certified ophthalmologists with Wolchok Eye Associates, PA perform cataract surgery for many satisfied patients. It’s normal to have a little anxiety before the surgery. Thanks to modern technology, cataract surgery today is a relatively routine outpatient procedure. We hope knowing what to expect on the day of surgery helps calm any worries.

Before cataract surgery

We review your medications and let you know if you need to stop taking them a week or so before your surgery.

At an appointment about a week before your surgery, your Wolchok eye specialist measures your eye using ultrasound to select the correct focusing power for your intraocular lens (IOL). Don’t worry; the measurement is painless. The new IOL is going to replace your worn-out lens.

We prescribe medicated eye drops to use as instructed before surgery. The drops help prevent infection and lessen swelling during and after the operation.

On the day of surgery, refrain from eating for six hours before your procedure. We provide written instructions.

What happens during cataract surgery

We administer a sedative, which relaxes you so you’re not fully cognizant of your environment. You also receive anesthesia to numb the entire eye area so you won’t feel pain. We place drops in your eyes that dilate your pupils.

Our ophthalmologists use the most advanced technique in cataract surgery: femtosecond laser removal. This method affords the utmost precision for superior outcomes. We develop the surgical plan using an advanced 3-D scan of your eye.

Incision via femtosecond laser

We first make an incision in the cornea to access your cataract. Instead of a surgical knife, we use a laser, which gets preprogrammed to the exact incision size.

Accessing the cataract via laser

Your lens has a protective capsule around it. We use the laser to open the front of this protective covering, which gives us access to the cataract while the back of your lens capsule stays in place. The laser replaces the older, less precise method of using a needle.

Breaking up the cataract

In the next step, the femtosecond laser breaks up the cataract, replacing an older procedure that uses ultrasonic energy. This method reduces complications during and after surgery.

Placing the intraocular lens

Your physician places your new intraocular lens in its exact spot designed during the 3-D scan. It replaces your old lens and corrects your eyesight at one or more distances.