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MM-Cataract
After Surgery
PAGE 1
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BSc, MD, FRCS(C), Diplomate of the
American Board of Ophthalmology
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Instructions For Dr. McFadden’s
Cataract Patients
Once Your Cataract Surgery is Complete
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You can go home about one hour after your surgery, once the effects of the anesthetic and/or sedative have worn off. Remember that you are not allowed to drive after any medical procedure, so you must take a taxi or bus or have someone drive you home. You may wish to have someone accompany you. Once at home you can resume most of your usual activities within a few days. Please take your eye drops as detailed on the sheet you will be given after your surgery. Please also restart taking all of your normal medications (from your other doctors) as soon as the surgery is completed. To ensure the health of your eye(s) please read this information sheet. If you have other questions or concerns, please speak with Dr. McFadden.
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What if I have pain or other problems?
After the surgery, tell Dr. McFadden if you:
• have severe pain
(not relieved by acetaminophen),
• feel sick or vomit,
• notice your vision is worsening instead of improving from day to day,
• see flashes of light or a dramatically increased number of “floaters” (the black specks that sometimes appear in your field of vision).
• have redness that doesn’t go away with the eye drops that you were given.
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Will my vision be better right away?
Your vision should improve substantially within a few days. Many people say they see better immediately after the surgery or once the shield is removed. The degree of improvement will vary with the density of the cataract you had, and may be affected by other eye problems such as glaucoma or macular degeneration.
When do I see the doctor again?
Dr. McFadden will usually arrange to see you the day after surgery, 1 week after surgery, and about 6 weeks after surgery. At all visits, the doctor will perform an examination to ensure the incision is healing and your eye is healthy.
Is some discomfort normal?
Most people feel no discomfort after cataract surgery. Some people may notice a gritty or scratchy feeling, as if they had a grain of sand or an eyelash in the eye. They are actually feeling the edge of the tiny (usually invisible) incision made during surgery. This discomfort should disappear within a few days. In addition, the eye drops used after surgery may sting for a short time after instillation.
If you have some discomfort or headache, you can take two regular-strength acetaminophen tablets (such as Tylenol®) every four hours.
How do I care for the eye?
The plastic shield on your eye should remain there until you return home. You may then remove the shield to instill the drops, but please put it back on when you go to sleep.
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What is the purpose of the eye drops?
The purpose of the eye drops is to decrease the risk of infection and inflammation after surgery.
You should have enough eye drops to last three to four weeks. Be sure to use the drops as directed. If you don’t use them, you may have redness, swelling or scarring, which can affect the success of your surgery.
And remember, only the eye that was operated on needs drops!
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Use the shield for 1 week after surgery (with nothing under it) only when you sleep. Doing so will help prevent you from putting pressure on your eye if you roll over when you’re asleep.
Bathe and wash normally, but be gentle when you wash around the eye especially for the first 3 weeks. Do not rub your eye or put anything in it except the eye drops Dr. McFadden has prescribed for you.
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Download a PDF file of both pages of these instructions
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