NJ Driving Safety & Cataract Surgery

As one would expect, driving safety is impacted by the presence of cataracts as well as having cataract surgery-particularly with regard to differences between men and women. “An interesting study on cataract surgery and driving was reported in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology whereby motor vehicle accidents involving men decreased by 15.3% in the 12 months following cataract surgery but the frequency of postoperative crashes didn't change significantly for women,” noted Cataract Surgeon Joel Confino, M.D. of The Eye Care & Surgery Center in Westfield, Warren & Iselin, NJ. “We know all too well that delaying cataract surgery often results in patients modifying their lifestyles and activities. This is especially the case as people restrict their driving in response to health and vision changes. We need to hear from patients about their driving habits and whether they have had to change them as their cataracts develop-then we can help,” said Dr. Confino.

If you or someone you know has a question about cataracts, cataract surgery, lens implants or driving please feel free to call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

Cataract Surgery & Preventing Hip Fracture

“What does cataract surgery have to do with preventing hip fractures?” asked Roslyn Stahl, M.D. a Cataract Surgeon at The Eye Care & Surgery Center. “What we know from recent studies is that cataract surgery may offer patients with cataracts a distinct advantage in preventing hip fractures according to a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association,” said Dr. Stahl.

When looking at the risk of hip fracture among more than 1 million people on Medicare aged 65 with cataracts, researchers found people who had cataract surgery had a 16% lower risk of hip fracture one year after the procedure. Visual impairment from cataracts-whether from blurry vision, glare, halos or decreased contrast-is a known risk factor for falls. Thus when we improve vision for patients with cataracts, their mobility is typically improved as well as their confidence and the safety with which they navigate. A hip or pelvis fracture is the sentinel event that leads to a progressive decline in quality of life and usually signifies increased mortality and morbidity. Accidental falls and the resulting bone fractures are a major cause of disability and death among the elderly. “The key here is that there is a demonstrated need for timely cataract surgery for seniors in order to manage the risk of challenged mobility with resulting fractures. We are quite fortunate-and it is really rewarding-to be able to provide cataract patients with modern patient friendly cataract surgery on an outpatient basis that utilizes tiny incisions, eye drops for anesthesia and a quick visual recovery,” summarized Dr. Stahl.

If you or someone you know has questions about cataract, cataract surgery, lens implants or hip fracture prevention please feel free to call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is a leading New Jersey eye care practice with offices at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830

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New Jersey Cataract Awareness Month

“While it used to be mainly New Jersey seniors interested in learning more about cataracts, cataract surgery and lens implants, today we spend time answering cataract questions from baby boomer patients aging and experiencing cataract related vision problems,” explained Cataract Surgeon Joel Confino, M.D. of The Eye Care & Surgery Center in Westfield, Warren & Iselin, NJ. ‘We are aware of data from Prevent Blindness America that indicates almost 25 million million people age 40 and older have cataracts-a 19 percent increase since the year 2000-and more than half of all Americans over 65 have some degree of cataract development. In fact cataracts are a leading cause of vision loss among seniors. Fortunately, with cataract surgery and lens implants we can readily help people achieve very good vision.”

Many patients do not actually know that a cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens of the eye preventing light rays from passing through it easily. This results in a clouding and blurring of vision. Patients should understand that cataracts are not a growth or a film over the eye. For many patients cataracts start out slowly and have little effect on vision at first. But, as the cataract becomes denser, so does the impact on vision. The most common symptoms that bother patients with cataracts can include blurring of vision, sensitivity to light and glare, double vision in one eye, poor night vision, fading or yellowing of colors and frequent changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions.

“What many people do not realize is that the poor vision in seniors is often associated with premature or accelerated mental decline. Further, the challenges reduced vision creates in terms of mobility and safety can also put patients at increased risk for orthopedic injury-especially hip fracture. So, helping seniors restore vision with cataract surgery has an important place in securing senior health, well being, mobility, safety and mental state,” said Dr. Confino.

“When cataracts begin to interfere with daily activities or with patient comfort, mobility and safety, they can be treated surgically. Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most frequently performed surgeries in the United States. Today, we have a full range of lens implants available that allow us to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and even near vision problems after cataract surgery, as well as distance vision, without requiring bifocals or reading glasses for the vast majority of patients,” explained Dr. Confino.

If you or someone you know has questions about cataract, cataract surgery or lens implants please feel free to call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is staffed by a team of Board Certified NJ Ophthalmologists who are subspecialty Fellowship trained New Jersey eye surgeons, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, surgery for cataracts, intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration (AMD) and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, reconstructive and cosmetic facial surgery including eyelid surgery and facial and skin rejuvenation as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses, eyewear and optical services.

With locations in Westfield and Warren and Iselin, The Eye Care & Surgery Center is a leading NJ eye care practice serving the central and northern New Jersey including Old Bridge, East Brunswick, Sayreville, Milltown, North Brunswick, Kendall Park, Somerset, Dunellen, Bridgewater, Manville, Bound Brook, Raritan, Edison, Colonia, Woodbridge, Metuchen, Avenel, Carteret, Piscataway, Middlesex, Somerville, South Plainfield, North Plainfield, Roselle Park, Garwood, Clark, Kenilworth, Cranford, Gillette, Berkeley Heights, Stirling, Scotch Plains, Summit, Chatham, Watchung, Pluckemin, Rahway, Plainfield, Mountainside, Springfield, New Providence, Basking Ridge, Bedminster, Bernardsville, Millington, Union, Elizabeth, Linden, Jersey City, Irvington, Orange, West Orange, Livingston, Short Hills, Florham Park, Madison, Bloomfield, Montclair, Clifton, Garfield, Wayne, Parsippany, Troy Hills and Paramus, New Jersey.

NJ Surgeon on Laser Cataract Surgery

“We are seeing that laser cataract surgery for routine as well as complex cataract removal can have many advantages,” commented NJ Cataract Surgeon & Corneal Specialist Joel Confino, M.D. of The Eye Care & Surgery Center. The integration of the femtosecond laser to assist in cataract surgery and lens implants offers the promise of allowing the refinement of the many skill intensive steps of cataract removal into a more predictable procedure that benefits from enhanced laser created, surgeon controlled precision resulting in further improved clinical results. 

“The laser allows us to further increase the control and precision developed over 30 years as a cataract surgeon in several stages of cataract surgery. We can design incisions that are more exact and reproducible, that are placed more precisely and seal more completely without stitches, lowering the risk of infection and increasing safety. 

We can also more accurately design and create the capsulorehexis, which is the circular opening that we make in the front of the cloudy lens to gain access to the cataract. This allows for safer and more efficient removal of the cloudy lens material, and allows for proper positioning of the lens implant. This is very important for achieving the best possible visual result. The ability to create a perfectly round and centered opening in the lens capsule is a major advance,” explained Dr. Confino. 

Dr. Confino further explained, “What is also quite meaningful with laser cataract surgery is our ability to reduce the amount of energy inside the eye. In order to remove the cloudy lens material of a cataract we use a procedure called phacoemulsification-which is a high energy ultrasound technique that breaks the material into fragments. With laser cataract surgery we use less ultrasound energy as we can chop up and soften the material with the laser and deliver a gentler cataract surgery procedure. This is particularly important for patients who have any other type of eye disease or problem including corneal problems, retinal problems and even diabetes and glaucoma.” 

If you or someone you know has cataracts or is considering cataract surgery and would lie to learn more about laser cataract surgery please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment. 

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is staffed by a team of Board Certified NJ Ophthalmologists who are subspecialty Fellowship trained New Jersey eye surgeons, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, surgery for cataracts, intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration (AMD) and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, reconstructive and cosmetic facial surgery including eyelid surgery and facial and skin rejuvenation as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses, eyewear and optical services. 

With locations in Westfield and Warren and Iselin, The Eye Care & Surgery Center is a leading NJ eye care practice serving the central and northern New Jersey including Old Bridge, East Brunswick, Sayreville, Milltown, North Brunswick, Kendall Park, Somerset, Dunellen, Bridgewater, Manville, Bound Brook, Raritan, Edison, Colonia, Woodbridge, Metuchen, Avenel, Carteret, Piscataway, Middlesex, Somerville, South Plainfield, North Plainfield, Roselle Park, Garwood, Clark, Kenilworth, Cranford, Gillette, Berkeley Heights, Stirling, Scotch Plains, Summit, Chatham, Watchung, Pluckemin, Rahway, Plainfield, Mountainside, Springfield, New Providence, Basking Ridge, Bedminster, Bernardsville, Millington, Union, Elizabeth, Linden, Jersey City, Irvington, Orange, West Orange, Livingston, Short Hills, Florham Park, Madison, Bloomfield, Montclair, Clifton, Garfield, Wayne, Parsippany, Troy Hills and Paramus, New Jersey.

NJ Cataract Surgeon on Waiting for Cataract Surgery

NJ Cataract Surgeon Ivan Jacobs, M.D. of The Eye Care & Surgery Center in Westfield, Warren & Iselin, New Jersey shared thoughts about waiting too long to have cataract surgery and lens implants. “The decision of when to have a cataract removed and replaced with lens implants is really a very personal decision,” said Dr. Jacobs. “Some of my cataract patients are just not happy with the slightest degree of blurry vision or glare sensitivity, whereas others surprise me with how tolerant they are. So, I generally tell patients that their cataracts should be removed when they feel that they have visual discomfort or inconvenience-or any safety issues with navigating each day’s activities with confidence,” Dr. Jacobs explained. 

What patients should know though is that waiting too long for cataract surgery can result is some unintended consequences and possible risks. “For example, as a cataract matures, it does become denser and somewhat more difficult to remove. This requires more energy and may lead to prolonged inflammation or even intraoperative complications,” stated Dr. Jacobs. “For sure we don’t want the cataract to become so dense, swollen and cloudy that it causes a type of glaucoma or impair our view of the retina,” Dr. Jacobs stressed. “In these instances your cataract surgeon is likely to recommend proceeding with cataract removal even though you may not think you are quite ready.” 

If you or someone you know has a cataract or is need of cataract surgery and lens implants please feel free to call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment. 

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is staffed by a team of Board Certified NJ Ophthalmologists who are subspecialty Fellowship trained New Jersey eye surgeons, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, surgery for cataracts, intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration (AMD) and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, reconstructive and cosmetic facial surgery including eyelid surgery and facial and skin rejuvenation as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses, eyewear and optical services. 

With locations in Westfield and Warren and Iselin, The Eye Care & Surgery Center is a leading NJ eye care practice serving the central and northern New Jersey including Old Bridge, East Brunswick, Sayreville, Milltown, North Brunswick, Kendall Park, Somerset, Dunellen, Bridgewater, Manville, Bound Brook, Raritan, Edison, Colonia, Woodbridge, Metuchen, Avenel, Carteret, Piscataway, Middlesex, Somerville, South Plainfield, North Plainfield, Roselle Park, Garwood, Clark, Kenilworth, Cranford, Gillette, Berkeley Heights, Stirling, Scotch Plains, Summit, Chatham, Watchung, Pluckemin, Rahway, Plainfield, Mountainside, Springfield, New Providence, Basking Ridge, Bedminster, Bernardsville, Millington, Union, Elizabeth, Linden, Jersey City, Irvington, Orange, West Orange, Livingston, Short Hills, Florham Park, Madison, Bloomfield, Montclair, Clifton, Garfield, Wayne, Parsippany, Troy Hills and Paramus, New Jersey.

Flying & Air Travel after Cataract Surgery

“My cataract patients-especially as they seem to be getting younger-are continuing very active lifestyles-including air travel and flying shortly after their cataract surgery and lens implant operation. Often they need to get on an airplane or take advantage of air travel arrangements after cataract surgery and don’t want to be hindered,” stated NJ Cataract Surgeon Joel Confino, M.D. of The Eye Care & Surgery Center in Westfield, Warren & Iselin, New Jersey.

Most cataract surgeons require their patients to be examined the first day after cataract surgery and again at about 5-8 days after a cataract operation. This is the period of time where rare, but potentially serious, complications would likely be detected, if they were to occur. Beyond this period of time it is more a matter of making sure that you have access to continued follow up care at your cataract surgeon’s direction. If you are contemplating a trip after your cataract surgery you should discuss this with your cataract surgeon and we can give you any additional advice you might need regarding air travel as it would apply to your post operative instructions.

If you or someone you know has questions or concerns about cataract surgery, air travel and flying please feel free to call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is staffed by a team of Board Certified NJ Ophthalmologists who are subspecialty Fellowship trained New Jersey eye surgeons, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, surgery for cataracts, intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration (AMD) and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, reconstructive and cosmetic facial surgery including eyelid surgery and facial and skin rejuvenation as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses, eyewear and optical services.

With locations in Westfield and Warren and Iselin, The Eye Care & Surgery Center is a leading NJ eye care practice serving the central and northern New Jersey including Old Bridge, East Brunswick, Sayreville, Milltown, North Brunswick, Kendall Park, Somerset, Dunellen, Bridgewater, Manville, Bound Brook, Raritan, Edison, Colonia, Woodbridge, Metuchen, Avenel, Carteret, Piscataway, Middlesex, Somerville, South Plainfield, North Plainfield, Roselle Park, Garwood, Clark, Kenilworth, Cranford, Gillette, Berkeley Heights, Stirling, Scotch Plains, Summit, Chatham, Watchung, Pluckemin, Rahway, Plainfield, Mountainside, Springfield, New Providence, Basking Ridge, Bedminster, Bernardsville, Millington, Union, Elizabeth, Linden, Jersey City, Irvington, Orange, West Orange, Livingston, Short Hills, Florham Park, Madison, Bloomfield, Montclair, Clifton, Garfield, Wayne, Parsippany, Troy Hills and Paramus, New Jersey.

NJ Surgeon on Cataract Lens Implants for Astigmatism

NJ Cataract Surgeon & Corneal Specialist Joel Confino, M.D. commented on correcting astigmatism after cataract surgery with toric lens implants. “Almost all of my cataract patients know from their eye exams or eyeglass prescriptions whether they have astigmatism. Sometimes they don’t realize that it may be necessary for their cataract surgeon to correct that astigmatism in order to get the best visual results after cataract surgery,” explained Dr. Confino.

Astigmatism is a common refractive eye condition that that is most often due to an uneven curvature of the cornea. If the cornea were perfectly shaped, it would have a spherical round even shape, like a basketball. In eyes that have astigmatism, the cornea is typically curved more like an oblong, football-like shape, similar to the shape of the back of a teaspoon. “Depending on the degree and orientation of the unequal curvatures, astigmatism can cause mild or even severe blurry vision,” explained Dr. Confino.

Patients with cataracts and who are in need of cataract surgery have three choices when considering how to correct their astigmatism.

First, patients can simply choose to be dependent on wearing eyeglasses after cataract surgery in order to correct astigmatism.

Second, if appropriate, some patients may opt to have an additional surgical procedure called Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRI).

Third, patients can elect have an astigmatism correcting toric lens implant in which the astigmatism correction is incorporated into the lens prescription just as in eyeglasses. “Toric lens implants are placed in the eye in exactly the same manner as ordinary lens implants at the time of cataract surgery and correct the astigmatism as part of the cataract surgery operation,” further explained Dr. Confino.

If you or someone you know has cataracts or is considering cataract surgery and has astigmatism please feel free to learn more about astigmatism correction after cataract surgery by calling The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visiting The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is staffed by a team of Board Certified NJ Ophthalmologists who are subspecialty Fellowship trained New Jersey eye surgeons, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, surgery for cataracts, intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration (AMD) and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, reconstructive and cosmetic facial surgery including eyelid surgery and facial and skin rejuvenation as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses, eyewear and optical services.

With locations in Westfield and Warren and Iselin, The Eye Care & Surgery Center is a leading NJ eye care practice serving the central and northern New Jersey including Old Bridge, East Brunswick, Sayreville, Milltown, North Brunswick, Kendall Park, Somerset, Dunellen, Bridgewater, Manville, Bound Brook, Raritan, Edison, Colonia, Woodbridge, Metuchen, Avenel, Carteret, Piscataway, Middlesex, Somerville, South Plainfield, North Plainfield, Roselle Park, Garwood, Clark, Kenilworth, Cranford, Gillette, Berkeley Heights, Stirling, Scotch Plains, Summit, Chatham, Watchung, Pluckemin, Rahway, Plainfield, Mountainside, Springfield, New Providence, Basking Ridge, Bedminster, Bernardsville, Millington, Union, Elizabeth, Linden, Jersey City, Irvington, Orange, West Orange, Livingston, Short Hills, Florham Park, Madison, Bloomfield, Montclair, Clifton, Garfield, Wayne, Parsippany, Troy Hills and Paramus, New Jersey.

Recovery from Cataract Surgery

“As with any type of surgery, our patients always want to know what to expect in terms of recovery after Cataract Surgery”, said Ivan Jacobs, M.D. of The Eye Care & Surgery Center. Cataract surgery today is really quite advanced and generally pretty “patient friendly”.
Here is what Cataract patients should know and expect at The Eye Care & Surgery Center.
“If you are in good general health it is most likely that your Cataract operation will be performed in our ambulatory surgery center. This eye surgery facility is comfortable, efficient and close to home for most of our patients. Usually, your entire Cataract Surgery procedure should take only 2-3 hours from the time you check in until the time you check out”, stated Joel Confino, M.D. “Advanced Cataract Surgery today is most often performed with “topical eye drop anesthesia”-that is, for most patients the only anesthesia required are some eye drops along with a tablet to help you relax. There is really minimal if any “recovery” from the anesthesia used”, commented Dr. Jacobs.

According to Dr. Jacobs patients are usually feeling “back to normal” by the end of the day of their surgery or certainly by the next morning. Dr. Confino shared, “With the advanced Cataract Surgery technique of “small incision phacoemulsification” there is only a need to create a tiny incision-often just a few millimeters-through which the Cataract is removed and the Intraocular Lens is implanted. This tiny incision is so small so as not to require any “stitches” or sutures in many cases.” Thus the wound healing is very quick. Finally, depending on the type of lens implant that you have it is highly likely that your distance vision will be dramatically improved within 24 hours. In fact many patients actually are comfortable driving the next day after their Cataract operation. If you have a multifocal or accommodating lens implant to correct both your distance and near vision, it might take a bit longer to appreciate the full clarity of the near vision correction. So, it is pretty likely that you will be back to work in a few days and depending on your specific instructions. Generally, you should be able to resume all of your normal activities with a couple of days.

Please feel free to contact us with your questions or to schedule an appointment regarding Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants by calling The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999.

New Jersey Cataract Awareness Month

Eye Care and Surgery Center wishes to announce that Prevent Blindness America has designated June as National Cataract Awareness Month. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. About 20.5 million Americans age 40 and older have cataracts and more than half of all Americans develop cataracts by age 80.

“Many patients do not actually know that a cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens of the eye preventing light rays from passing through it easily. This results in a clouding and blurring of vision”, said Joel Confino, M.D. a Cornea, LASIK and Cataract Surgeon at Eye Care & Surgery Center. “We want them to understand that cataracts are not a growth or a film over the eye.”

For many patients cataracts start out slowly and have little effect on vision at first. But, as the cataract becomes denser, so does the impact on vision. The most common symptoms that bother patients with cataracts include:

• blurring of vision
• sensitivity to light and glare
• double vision in one eye
• poor night vision
• fading or yellowing of colors
• frequent changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions.

When cataracts do begin to interfere with daily activities or with patient comfort and safety, they can be treated surgically. Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most frequently performed surgeries in the United States. Today, at The Eye Care & Surgery Center we have a full range of Intraocular Lens Implants (IOL) available that allow us to correct near vision as well as distance vision without requiring bifocals or reading glasses for the vast majority of patients. Please feel free to contact us with your questions about Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants by calling Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908.789.8999.

Glasses after Cataract Surgery-Will I Need Them?

Ivan Jacobs, M.D.

“As a Cataract Surgeon I have two main goals to achieve during Cataract Surgery. First, I want to remove the cloudy crystalline lens. The crystalline lens is actually an optical component of the eye that provides focusing power. Second, I want to replace the optical and focusing power that was provided by crystalline lens by implanting an intraocular lens (IOL) to provide the correct amount of focusing power to allow you to see clearly”, stated Ivan Jacobs, M.D. of The Eye Care & Surgery Center.









Joel Confino, M.D.



“Before you developed a Cataract, if you wore glasses because you were nearsighted, farsighted or had astigmatism it is now possible for us to use a carefully calculated IOL power or special IOL that can correct astigmatism so that you may not need to wear eyeglasses to see at distance after your surgery”, commented Joel Confino, M.D. “Today, it is even possible for us to select IOLs that can correct both distance and near vision so that you can decrease or even eliminate your dependence on bifocals and reading glasses after your Cataract Surgery.”

If you think you have a Cataract or have been told you have a Cataract and would like to be less dependent on glasses it is worthwhile to schedule an appointment at The Eye Care & Surgery Center to discuss advanced technology intraocular lens implants so that we can guide you as you learn about your possibilities and options for vision correction after Cataract Surgery. Please call Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908.789.8999.

Recovering From Cataract Surgery

Welcome to day 2 of our trip through Cataractville. Today we will explore recovering from Cataract Surgery. To experience the easiest recovery after Cataract Surgery as well as to have a successful and uncomplicated Cataract Surgery, it is important to FOLLOW YOUR SURGEON’S INSTRUCTIONS.

It is completely normal for each patient’s recovery from Cataract Surgery to be slightly different. Each person is unique in their overall health, healing process and tolerance to eye surgery. However, there are some basic expectations that are pretty common for almost all people having Cataract Surgery.

With the advancements in technology and lens implants, the recovery for Cataract Surgery is very fast. The procedure is done on an "out-patient" basis. Most patients are driving themselves the next day to their post-operative visit.
Patients will prepare for surgery by taking antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops the day before their procedure and will remain on drops for three weeks post-operatively.
The patient will typically leave the surgery center wearing sun glasses that we advise to keep on if outside for one week and indoors in a brightly lit room. Some surgeons instruct their patients to sleep in an eye shield the first night to protect the eye.
The eye must remain dry for one week post-operatively. When bathing we ask that the face be washed with a wash cloth avoiding the operative eye. No make-up, moisturizers or lotions are to be used near the eye for one week as well. We suggest not washing the hair for several days after surgery.
Some patients experience grogginess as the the effects of the anti-anxiety medications given before surgery. These symptoms usually end before the patient leaves the surgery center. We ask the patient just relax for the rest of the day and allow the eye to heal.
In the days and weeks following surgery, some patients experience a ring or halo around lights. Dependant on the lens implant, this may or may not diminish over time. Usually the brain will adapt and the rings will no longer be apparent to the patient.
Try not to touch or rub your eyes for the first week after surgery. It may be necessary to be fir with new eyeglasses after surgery as your prescription will now have changed. Your surgeon will advise you.
Hopefully you have found this information helpful and somewhat comforting.