Glasses After Cataract Surgery

When Will Glasses Be Fitted After Cataract Surgery?

People want to know when glasses will be fitted after cataract surgery and whether there are alternatives. Usually the recommendation is to wait until the eyes heal and the prescription stabilizes, about 6 weeks after surgery, before being examined by an optometrist to check the need for glasses and to fit the appropriate prescription. In certain situations it will be recommended to wait a longer period than that (for example if there are sutures that need to be removed or if additional cataract surgery is expected in the second eye). It may be necessary to replace only one lens in the glasses — only on the side of the eye that underwent surgery. The recommendation is not to drive until vision stabilizes, that is, until vision can be properly evaluated and glasses fitted after the recovery period. You should discuss this with the operating surgeon at the post-surgery check-ups.

Glasses Removal After Cataract Surgery

Another option, instead of wearing glasses after surgery, is to undergo a suitability examination for laser vision-correction surgery after the cataract surgery. It is necessary to check that the patient is suitable in terms of the appearance of the cornea and the thickness of the cornea. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that there is a stable prescription and that good vision correction can indeed be achieved with this procedure.

What Are the Guidelines After Cataract Surgery?

Cataract surgery is a common and safe procedure during which the eye's cloudy lens is replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). As with any procedure, there are risks, and a certain recovery period is expected after surgery. For a few days after surgery the eye may itch or hurt, may tear more than usual, and there may be glare when exposed to bright light. In the first week the doctor may recommend using an eye shield during sleep.

What Can Cause Blurred Vision After Cataract Surgery?

It is common to experience blurred vision after cataract surgery, but this blurring tends to clear up within a few days. If the blurred vision worsens or persists, there can be several causes and a doctor's examination is needed. The various causes can be:

Inflammation

A response of the immune system to the surgical intervention and to the implanted lens. This inflammation should resolve within a few days and is expected to improve with topical treatment with eye drops.

Dry Eyes

A common problem after cataract surgery. It may be caused by long-term use of topical antibiotics and steroids and by damage to tear production due to the surgical incision. The use of artificial tears after surgery can treat the symptoms and the discomfort of dry eye. The drops can also improve blurred vision.

Secondary Cataract

This too can be a cause of blurred vision after cataract surgery. It is a thin layer of cells that covers the back of the lens capsule and prevents light rays from penetrating and reaching the back layer — the retina, just like the primary cataract. This complication appears in about 20% of patients who underwent cataract surgery and requires the use of a laser in order to restore vision to be optimal.

Retinal Detachment

A rare complication of cataract surgery, in which the back layer of the eye, the retina, detaches and causes blurred vision, dimness, flashes of light, and floating bodies in the field of vision (floaters). People who suffer from additional eye problems are at increased risk of developing this complication. This is an emergency that requires immediate intervention and may endanger eyesight.

Macular Edema

After cataract surgery the central part of the retina (called the macula) may swell and cause blurred and distorted vision, something that occurs in about 2% of patients after surgery and appears after 6 to 8 weeks. The condition is treated with NSAIDs eye drops and usually resolves within a few months.

If you are considering cataract surgery, it is important to know that over 90% of patients will experience significant vision improvement, but many patients will still need to use vision glasses depending on many factors. The type of lens chosen for surgery will affect the type of glasses the patient will need after surgery. Advanced premium lenses are offered on the market today, such as a multifocal lens and a toric lens (for astigmatism), and their use may save the need for glasses. Decisions regarding the type of lens to be implanted and the future outlook for glasses will be discussed before surgery with the operating ophthalmologist according to the patient's personal needs and condition.

Why will some patients need glasses after cataract surgery while others will not? Additional factors that may affect the need for glasses are the general condition of the eye, the severity of astigmatism if it exists, and the current glasses prescription. The monofocal lens will be chosen according to the patient's needs. It can be adjusted for distance vision, and then reading glasses will be needed, or for near vision, and then the need will be the opposite — glasses for distance vision. Monofocal lenses can be set to be for distance vision in one eye and for near vision in the other eye. It is possible to test this option with contact lenses in different prescriptions and see how well the patient adjusts to the difference between the eyes. When the patient requests sharp vision, this option is not suitable, and neither is depth perception.

Astigmatism is a defect in the curvature of the cornea in which the dome shape is not completely symmetrical. As noted, there are toric premium lenses that reduce dependence on glasses in this case.

Regardless of the type of implanted lens chosen, it may still be necessary to use glasses at least part of the time. With an appropriate choice, this dependence can be greatly reduced and glasses needed for only a minimal amount of time, which can be critical for many patients and affect their way of life.