Cataract surgery is a major procedure that you will spend a lot of time planning for with your trusted eye doctor in Meridian. During these personal consultations and appointments, you will learn everything about cataracts and why you have them. For some people, cataracts form as a result of aging; others might develop cataracts after a physical injury. Regardless, what matters is that you seek the proper treatment right away.
How to Prepare for Cataract Surgery
Dr. Merkley will answer all of your questions about cataracts and explain how to prepare for cataract surgery so you can feel more at ease about the procedure.
Be Honest About Vision Changes
You are the expert in your own eyes. You need to communicate with us if you notice any kind of change. Maybe your eyesight is dulling, or you are starting to see cloudy spots in your vision. You might even experience discomfort in your eyes. These symptoms can be key indicators of developing cataracts. Knowing exactly what is going on with your health can help us create the proper diagnosis and treatment plan for you.
List Your Medications
The process of removing cataracts requires full surgery. This means you will be put under anesthesia during the procedure. Since certain medications can interact badly with anesthesia or affect your eyes, you need to let us know about everything you take regularly. Some medications will still be allowed on the day of the procedure, while others may need to be put on hold for a day or two.
Remove Your Contacts
You cannot wear contact lenses while recovering from cataract surgery. Your eyes are going to be sensitive for a while, and contacts can damage them by being too abrasive. This puts your surgery results at risk while also posing an overall health danger to your eyes. If you do not have any glasses, you should invest in some frames before your appointment date comes along. You should wear glasses for at least a week while your eyes heal.
Prepare Food and Bedding in Advance
Cataract removals are usually outpatient procedures. This means you can go home on the same day of your surgery. However, you will need some assistance in getting home. Make sure to recruit a friend or family member who you can rely on to care for you when your recovery starts.
You may want to wear dark sunglasses for a while to protect the sensitivity of your eyes. Make sure you have a dark, cool place set up to rest. You might want to cook your meals in advance or grab items that are easy to eat without any preparation.
Plan for Several Days of Recovery
Dr. Merkley usually asks patients to stay home from work for a few days following the cataract surgery appointment. Your eyes need time to heal, though healing in this area is typically quite quick. You can expect a follow-up appointment with your doctor in about a week. This is the perfect opportunity to check in on the status of your recovery and to voice any questions or concerns moving forward.
Cataract surgery results are noticeable almost instantly. Within a week, you can return to work with newfound vision and better confidence.
Cataract Surgery Tailored to Your Situation
If you are worried about developing cataracts, you should get in touch with us right away. It is always better to visit us for an early screening than to wait until it’s too late. No matter how far your cataracts have spread, you can get rid of them and reduce their spread through personalized cataract surgery.
Using a variety of techniques, Dr. Merkley carefully removes the clouded areas from your lenses. He will then replace them with new lenses, which can totally restore your eye health. Get in touch with us now to learn more about your chances of success with cataract surgery.