Surgery Counseling for Women

Not many people prefer to go for cataract surgery even when they have been accurately diagnosed with an eye ailment. From research, I have discovered that most cataract patients choose other solution options because they feel a mere clouding of the eyes does not necessarily require surgery. 

From an entirely different perspective, some believe that cataract surgery does not absolutely cure the eyes but incurs further damage to the lens, which might affect the patient’s sight for a lifetime. 

In reality, cataract surgery is the best solution for cataracts. Regardless of the stage (whether mild or severe), so far, you have been diagnosed with cataracts; the next best step is to approach an expert cataract surgeon to help you fix your eyes.

As a professional surgeon and consultant, I feel obliged to make ‘cataract surgery’ an open knowledge to reorientate people on how to care for their sight, taking the right step at the right time. 

In this post, I have helped you gather the most frequently asked questions and answers on cataract surgery to provide solutions to any questions you might have on cataract surgery. These answers will also help you to get the best surgical outcome when you go for the surgery.  Click here to read more about cataract surgery.

Here are some professional answers to most of the questions you might want to ask about cataract surgery.

Is cataract surgery a major surgery?

Well, I will say no from a professional point of view. Though many people perceive cataract surgery as major surgery, in the medical community, it is not so. For any other experienced surgeon, cataract is simply an outpatient practice.

How long does cataract surgery take?

If you are working with a seasoned cataract surgeon, it won’t take you more than two and a half hours. And, that time frame already includes the time you as a patient enter the surgery center and leaves. Unless the surgeon does not know what to do or wants to try any other option, cataract surgery does not take time. If you register with a veteran surgeon, it might even take you less than that.

Does cataract surgery hurt?

Absolutely no! cataract surgery does not pain the patient’s body – not even the eyes. For me, most cataract patients I have treated always ask a general question, “Are you done?” that is for you to know how comfortable they feel during the surgery. However, some surgeons prefer giving relieving medication to some nervous patients to calm them before the surgery. There are anesthetist eye medications that can numb your eye before the procedure.

Could there be complications if I blink during cataract surgery?

You can’t blink during a cataract surgery session because the surgeon will use an eye holder to keep your lid open till the operation is done successfully. Although utilizing an eye holder might pose fear to you, I am glad to tell you that the eye holder would have little or no effect on your lid since your eyes would have been numbed.  The other eye can remain closed or opened till the surgery finishes.

Are there side effects of cataract surgery?

The only side effect that can happen after accurate cataract surgery is clearer vision. How do I mean? A cataract prevents lights, and when it has been removed, there is the possibility that your lens detects more light and becomes more sensitive. Of course, the pressure in the eyes might be reduced, and you may notice more floaters. Also, you might start to see a dark crescent shape in the peripheral view. If that happens after you have done a cataract surgery, don’t fret. The dark crescent will disappear in the next few months without any serious medication. 

Can cataract surgery last for a lifetime?

Yes! You can enjoy a lifelong clear vision after cataract surgery. Let me tell you why. During the surgery, the surgeon will implant a lens into your eye. That lens is durable enough to serve you as long as you live.

Can I become a cataract patient again after cataract surgery?

The surgeon will remove the damaged lens in your eyes during cataract surgery and replace it with an artificial lens. Since the natural lens has been removed, cataracts can not grow again. If cataracts develop again after you have gone for surgery, it is possible that the surgeon did not replace the clouded lens.

Will I have a clearer vision after cataract surgery?

What your vision will be like after you have done cataract surgery depends on several factors, including the size of the cataract, the type of anesthesia used during the surgery, the health of your eyes, and the overall health of your body. All things being equal, you will see clearly within the first 24 hours and then have a better sight as time goes on. 

Do I still need to use glasses after cataract surgery?

Well, most people will have to use glasses after cataract surgery. The reason is that you will not get a perfect vision immediately after the surgery. Typically, the healing process takes a few more weeks to become perfect. Since you will have to wait for some weeks to get a perfect vision, your doctor might ask you to get glasses to make specific changes in your eyes.

How long does it take to recover from cataract surgery?

How quickly you will recover after cataract surgery largely depends on the size of the cataract and how fast your body heals. However, it takes not more than a couple of days for your eyes to heal. In addition to that, how well you cater to your health will also play a massive role in the healing process. 

Final Words 

How quickly and perfectly you recover from cataract surgery depends on several factors, but it gets better if you are well educated on how it works. Hence the above answers to the most frequently asked questions will help provide you with every information you need to manage your eyes’ health after cataract surgery. 

Some specific industries and occupations need a piece of personal protective equipment to prevent the workers from getting cataracts. Research has shown that the more significant percentage of people with cataracts in Sydney got it from their various occupations. There are several jobs where the eyes can be exposed to materials and conditions that can cause injuries, strain, and diseases. Some jobs can lead to loss of vision, burns to the face if one fails to follow the safety protocols.

However, we cannot stop you from doing your daily job, but we feel that there’s always a way out so that you won’t later spend your income doing cataract surgery. Do you know you can get a cataract if you don’t protect your eyes? Of course, with that your job, if you are not careful, you may spend your total income on cataract surgery Sydney. 

There’s no cause for alarm. We are here to show you some jobs or occupations that should not joke about protecting their eyes if they don’t want to end up doing cataract surgery. 

Then, what are cataracts? Cataracts are a dense, gloomy area that forms in the lens. Cataracts start when proteins in the eye form clumps that prevent the lens from sending clear images to the retina. Mind you, the safest way to get rid of cataracts once you have them is to go for cataract surgery. 

Cataract surgery refers to the process of eradicating the lens of your eyes and replacing it with an artificial lens. Therefore, it is expedient for you to protect your eyes while working to avoid cataracts. Also, cataract surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist. 

Below here are the jobs that need eye protection to avoid cataracts:

1. Welding: Are you a welder, and you don’t want to have an eye problem? Then, it would help if you derived a means of protecting your eyes. Welding is among the jobs that are at high risk of eye injuries. This job requires a full face shield to protect the eyes against the rays of light from the fire. The glow of light and the heat in doing welding are also other problems that can cause cataracts. One of the things that can quickly affect one’s eye is heat. Therefore, the face shield must be a thick one. It should be able to protect the eyes from heat and the rays of light during welding. Dear welder, it would be an intelligent decision to wear protection whenever you are working. Honestly, welders must get a good face shield if they don’t want to spend half of their income on cataract surgery.

2. Construction company workers: If you work with a construction company and don’t protect your eyes, you are prone to get cataracts.  Remember, your job has to do with dust and some falling particles that may cause a severe injury to your eyes. Therefore, putting on a safety glass while on duty can save you from spending part of your income on cataract surgery. Also, don’t forget you are working in a hazardous environment where an accident can occur at any time. Therefore, our advice for construction company workers is to always put on a face shield while on duty. Click here to read about Most Frequently Asked Questions and Answers on Cataract Surgery.

3. Manufacturing industry workers: Employers in a manufacturing plant must follow the safety protocols in protecting their eyes. This occupation sometimes requires grinding metals and other materials that can send some particles to the eyes. Therefore, wearing a face shield shouldn’t be something new to those working with a manufacturing company. Some manufacturing industries like the automobile industry and the electric appliance industry are all environments that demand protection for their workers. It is expedient for one to follow all measures of safety strictly when engaging in such work.

4. Receptionist: If you are a receptionist, you need to protect your eyes from UVB rays. You are prone to cataracts because your eyes are constantly exposed to glare and harmful blue light from computer screens. Light from a computer system can gradually damage your natural lens. Once the natural lens in the eye is faulty, one will not see things. Therefore, without a face shield, a receptionist can also end up doing cataract surgery.
5. Health care workers: Health care workers too are also prone to get a cataract. They can get cataracts due to the exposure of their eyes to infectious body fluids and waste. That is why cataract surgeons cannot do surgery without protecting their eyes. Therefore, health care jobs like medical lab work, surgery, and nursing must also prevent their eyes from getting cataracts.  

6. Freelancers: If you are a freelancer, then you also need to protect your eyes from injuries. Most freelancers spend a more significant percentage of their time on a computer system. And if care is not taken, light from a computer screen can later affect your eyes. For instance, there’s no how a website content developer will not be working on a computer system. Of course, a freelancing job is a brain-tasking job that requires a lot of time placing one’s eyes on a computer system. Therefore, as a freelancer, you need a face shield to protect your eyes from getting cataracts. 

Conclusion

Eyes are energetic, subtle organs and are one of the most sensitive areas of the body. It demands complete maintenance and attention. So an employer who ensures their workers’ safety should make it a necessity for workers to wear a face shield. If you are working in any of the above-listed industries, then you should not neglect preventive measures. Also, if you do any of the jobs mentioned above, you must assess your risk for eye strain, injuries, and diseases. We will also advise you to always go for a regular checkup per time. Several workers in Sydney have not visited a hospital this year to know the condition of their eyes. It is dangerous. At least, you should visit your eye doctor once in three months for a proper checkup.