What Happens On The Day Of Surgery
- Follow the instructions exactly about when to stop eating and drinking. If you don’t, your surgery may be canceled. If your doctor told you to take your medicines on the day of surgery, take them with only a sip of water.
- Take a bath or shower before you come in for your surgery. Do not apply lotions, perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish.
- Take off all jewelry and piercings.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Cataract
Cataracts are a common part of the eyes aging process. Eventually, they can cause:
- Vision thats cloudy, blurry, foggy or filmy.
- Sensitivity to bright sunlight, lamps or headlights.
- Glare , especially when you drive at night with oncoming headlights.
- Prescription changes in glasses, including sudden nearsightedness.
- Double vision.
- Difficulty seeing at night .
- Changes in the way you see color.
What Are The Symptoms And Signs Of Cataracts
The vision when one has a cataract is similar looking through a dirty windshield of a car or smearing grease over the lens of a camera or your glasses. Cataracts may cause a variety of complaints and visual changes, including blurred vision, difficulty with glare , dull color vision, increased nearsightedness accompanied by frequent changes in eyeglass prescription, and occasionally, double vision in one eye. A change in glasses may initially help once vision begins to change from a cataract. However, as the cataract continues to become denser, vision also becomes cloudier, and stronger glasses or contact lenses will no longer improve sight. Some people with cataracts may experience symptoms of vision problems with only a mild cataract in one eye, while others may not notice any visual abnormalities until both eyes develops significant cataracts.
Cataracts typically develop gradually and are usually not painful or associated with any eye redness or other symptoms unless they become extremely advanced. Rapid and/or painful changes in vision raise suspicion for other eye diseases and should be evaluated by an eye-care professional.
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A Note From Cleveland Clinic
As you get older, its typical to develop cataracts and some vision problems. But you dont have to put up with it. Cataract removal surgery is one of the safest and most effective surgeries performed in the U.S. Its quick and relatively painless. It gives clear eyesight back to 90% of people and rarely causes complications.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/27/2020.
References
What Causes Congenital Cataracts
We dont know what causes most congenital cataracts. More research is needed, but some causes may include:
Changes in genes or chromosomes. Some babies have birth defects because of changes in their genes or changes in their chromosomes. Genes are part of your bodys cells that store instructions for the way your body grows and works. Genes are passed from parents to children. Chromosomes are the structures that hold genes.
Injury during pregnancy. Physical trauma during pregnancy may cause injury to a babys eyes in the womb and lead to congenital cataracts. A pregnant woman may have physical trauma from a car accident, a sudden fall or from intimate partner violence . IPV is physical violence, sexual violence, stalking or psychological harm caused by a current or former partner. An abusive partner may try to hurt a pregnant womans body. This physical abuse may include hitting, slapping or kicking a woman. During pregnancy, physical abuse can harm both a pregnant woman and her baby. Visit The National Domestic Violence Hotline website or call 1-800-799-7233 for IPV resources and support.
Premature birth. This is birth that happens too early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Premature babies have more health problems and may need to stay in the hospital longer than babies born later.
Other infections. Other infections that may be linked to congenital cataracts include:
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Do I Need To Wear Dark Glasses After Cataract Surgery
No, you dont have to wear sunglasses after cataract surgery. However, many find that they are more light-sensitive since more light is entering the eye post-surgery. Therefore, the decision to wear sunglasses after the procedure depends on your light sensitivity. Almost all modern implants have some UV protection built into the lens itself, but wearing regular protective sunglasses is still recommended.
Do You Have To Wait To Get Both Doses To Have Surgery
There is no need to wait to get both doses of the vaccine before undergoing cataract surgery. If you elect to receive the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, you know that these vaccines are given in two different stages.
The first shot works to build protection in the body. The second shot, which is administered a few weeks later, is needed to ensure maximum protection.
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How Are Eye Drops Used For Cataract Surgery
ANSWER
Before cataract surgery, youll use eye drops to prevent infection, enlarge your pupil, and numb the area around your eye. After the doctor removes your cloudy lens and replaces it with a man-made model, drops can lower the chances of infection and help you heal.
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
Digital Journal of Ophthalmology.
International Society for Refractive Surgery/American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Gimbel Eye Centre.
Myers, T. Comprehensive Ophthalmology Update, June 2005.
Medical News Today: “Risk of Glaucoma in Patients With Elevated Eye Pressure Can Be Predicted by Model,” “Lazy Eye Treatment Beyond Patches and Daily Drops,” “Expert Develops Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Method to Replace Eye Drops,” “Delivery Improvements of the AMD-drug Lucentis on the Way.”
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
Digital Journal of Ophthalmology.
International Society for Refractive Surgery/American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Gimbel Eye Centre.
Myers, T. Comprehensive Ophthalmology Update, June 2005.
Medical News Today: “Risk of Glaucoma in Patients With Elevated Eye Pressure Can Be Predicted by Model,” “Lazy Eye Treatment Beyond Patches and Daily Drops,” “Expert Develops Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Method to Replace Eye Drops,” “Delivery Improvements of the AMD-drug Lucentis on the Way.”
This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information.
Vision And Safety Is Our Top Priority
A second wave of COVID-19 may occur in the Fall so seeing your eye doctors sooner rather than later should be a priority. While delaying your cataract surgery seems like the most logical option, this decision is best made between you and your cataract surgeons. Dr. Scott So, a cataract surgeon at our office says that a few of his patients whove delayed their surgery from February have had significant decrease in their vision. Thus their cataract surgery will be more complicated.
At Pacific Eye Associates, our trusted eye physicians will guide you in the right direction. We wont force unnecessary surgeries on our patients. We offer telemedicine appointments which is a great option to utilize if you have more questions about cataract surgery. Click on the button below to make a telemedicine appointment with Dr. Lin or Dr. So.
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Everything You Need To Know About Cataract Surgery And Covid
Were a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and things are finally, albeit slowly, starting to look up. The light at the end of the tunnel is growing a little brighter!
With two effective vaccines on the market, and millions of dosages having been administered, more health practices have re-opened their doors and resumed surgical procedures. This includes ADV Vision Centers!
For months we were told to stay safe and stay home and to reschedule elective surgeries for a later time. This included cataract surgery, which is considered elective, despite the condition having such a huge impact on day-to-day life.
If youre ready to restore your vision, now is the time! Heres what you need to know about cataract surgery and the covid vaccine.
What Are Potential Complications And Side Effects Of Cataract Surgery
While cataract surgery is one of the safest procedures available with a high rate of success, rare complications such as infection or bleeding can arise. Your ophthalmologist will discuss the specific potential complications of the procedures that are unique to your eye prior to having you sign a consent form. The most common difficulties arising after surgery are persistent inflammation, changes in eye pressure , infection, or swelling of the retina at the back of the eye , and retinal detachment. If the delicate bag the lens sits in is injured, then the artificial lens may need to be placed in a different location. In some cases, the intraocular lens moves and may need to be repositioned, exchanged, or removed. All of these complications are rare but can lead to significant visual loss thus, close follow-up is required after surgery. If you have preexisting macular degeneration, optic nerve damage or floaters, these will not be made better by cataract surgery.
Frequently, within months to years after surgery, the thin lens capsule may become cloudy, causing blurred vision after cataract surgery. You may have the sensation that the cataract is returning because your vision is becoming blurry again. This process is termed posterior capsular opacification, or a “secondary cataract.” To restore vision, a laser is used in the office to painlessly create a hole in the cloudy bag . This procedure takes only a few minutes in the office, and vision usually improves immediately.
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Some Eye Surgeries Are Already On The Rise
In a 2020 article for All About Vision, Boxer Wachler noted the outpatient center where he performs cataract surgery saw a 32% reduction in procedures. But at least one kind of surgery has seen a jump in demand during the pandemic.
That surgery is called SMILE . This laser surgery to correct refractive errors is less invasive than LASIK. Both of these procedures reshape the cornea to clarify vision, but SMILE has a shorter recovery period after surgery.
By the next day, I was able to drive, wear eye makeup and rub my eyes, said Melissa Nelson, a patient of Goel Vision, a practice in Baltimore, Maryland, in a report by CBS News. That practice has done the surgery on about 500 patients.
This has just been a game-changer for them, said Sonny Goel, MD, medical director at Goel Vision. Theyve been really impressed by how quick and easy the procedure is, how theyre back to work the next day and how they just didnt think it would be that quick.
The medical news aggregator, Healio, published an Ocular Surgery News report confirming a COVID-related rise in refractive surgeries.
For instance, Pacific Vision Institute in San Francisco, California, surveys its patients to get a sense of why they come in for eye care. Ella G. Faktorovich, MD, the institutes founder, noted that the pandemic refactored peoples perception of the time available for eye surgeries.
How Long Should You Wait To Have Cataract Surgery After Getting Vaccinated
There is no need to wait to have cataract surgery after getting vaccinated. Currently, both COVID-19 vaccines require two stages. The initial shot starts to build protection in the body. The second shot, which is administered a few weeks later, is needed in order to get the most protection possible.
Both of the vaccines on the market are mRNA vaccines. These contain material from the COVID-19 virus that provide instructions for the cells on how to make a protein thats unique to the virus. Once cells make copies of this protein, they destroy genetic material from the vaccine.
The body then recognizes that the protein shouldnt be in the body and generates T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes that remember how to fight the virus in the event that you are infected with COVID-19 in the future.
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Shield Yourself From Irritants Or Trauma
When you come home from surgery, its natural to feel like something is in your eye, like an eyelash or particle of sand, says Eghrari. The eyes can be sensitive to the environment for at least a week after surgery. Wraparound sunglasses will not only protect you from exposure to dust, dirt and pollen, but also help with sensitivity to light. Your eye doctor will also provide you with an eye shield for you to wear while sleeping during this recovery time, to eliminate touching or rubbing of your eyes.
Vaccination After Cataract Operation
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Fighting The Flu: What You Can Do Beyond Getting The Shot
The medical communitys first recommendation for flu prevention is to get your annual flu shot. Fortunately, there are many places in and around Birmingham to get your flu shot this year, including UAB Medicines Injection Clinics.
Even before flu season begins, its a smart idea to arm yourself with knowledge about what to expect from this years flu. Rachael Lee, MD, assistant professor in the UAB Division of Infectious Diseases, advises patients to check with local health departments to see if the flu season has begun. To keep yourself informed as the season unfolds, check the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report for nationwide flu data and the more localized seasonal flu updates from the Jefferson County Department of Health.
There are smart things you can do to help prevent the flu and keep your family healthy this fall and winter. Here are seven prevention tips that can be highly effective, especially for high-risk populations such as children, elderly adults, pregnant women, and anyone with a chronic illness:
2. Keep Your Home Clean: Another effective measure in preventing the flu, especially in households with patients at high risk, is to disinfect surfaces that have been touched by those with flu. Start your housecleaning routine with frequently touched hard surfaces such as drawers, remote controls, light switches, and doorknobs. Its also a good idea to change or wash hand towels more frequently.
Threat To Us From New Bird Flu Virus: Possible But Unknown
Beginning in March, 2013, reports started to come out of Eastern China that a new bird flu virus was loose and causing infections in humans. The new virus is called H7N9. Should we in the U.S. be worried? Neither I nor anyone I know can give a confident answer to that question. So far the news is reassuring. A report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and another from a team from China in this weeks New England Journal of Medicine, indicate that so far the new H7N9 virus has not clearly spread from one person to another, and has not spread outside of Eastern China. Even so, every public health agency around the world is keeping a close eye on China. Thats because a virus that cannot spread easily from one person to another can change or swap genesand suddenly be capable of spreading easily.
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Can You Have Surgery A Day Before Or After Getting The Vaccine
If your cataract surgery date and vaccination date happen to fall in the same week, theres no need to worry! You can get the vaccine the day before or after cataract surgery without much concern.
Whats important is that patients dont correlate potential vaccine side effects with side effects of cataract surgery. Many have reported that the second dose of the two-stage vaccines can cause symptoms such as fever, body aches, headache, and chills, so be aware of these risks ahead of time.
Flu Shot Linked To Lower Heart Attack Stroke Risk
Getting the flu shot may do more than protect against the flu and its lingering aftermath. It also lowers a persons odds of a having heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or other major cardiac eventincluding deathby about a third over the following year. Whats the connection between flu and cardiovascular problems? The body mounts an impressive immune response against the flu. That causes a lot of inflammation, which destabilizes cholesterol-filled plaque inside blood vessels. Plaque rupture can cause a heart attack or stroke. Experts recommend a flu shot for everyone six months of age and older. It is especially important for those who face the highest risk of complications: young children adults over age 50 those of all ages with serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, asthma or other lung disease, liver or kidney disease, or diabetes and those who care for young children or other individuals at high risk of flu complications.
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Tis The Seasonfor The Flu
The holiday season gets all the hype at this time of year, but the flu season needs your attention as well. It has come early this yearthe earliest since 2003, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is expected to be severe. In the last month, new cases of flu in the U.S. have gone from a few hundred a week to more than a thousand a week. Forty-eight states and Puerto Rico have already seen lab-confirmed cases of the virus, and five children have died from it. Getting vaccinated and washing your hands often are your best bets against getting flu. The vaccine isnt an anti-flu guarantee, but it can reduce your risk by up to 80%. Yet barely one-third of Americans have been vaccinated against the flu so far this year. Why arent more people getting a flu shot?