Cataract Surgery: What to Expect from Consultation to Recovery

At the Kelly Vision Center, our goal is to give you a lifetime of healthy vision. Prior to qualifying you as a candidate for cataract surgery, we perform a comprehensive eye exam to determine whether the procedure is right for you and ensure you do not have other vision conditions that require treatment and may interfere with you getting the best possible results from your surgery.

It's as easy as calling 1-877-377-EYES to arrange your free consultation with Dr. Kelly.

Your Consultation

To evaluate you for cataract surgery, we first obtain a complete medical, medication, and eye history. Certain conditions and medications may make you ineligible for cataract surgery, or may require special procedures. . It is helpful if you complete the history form before your consultation and bring it with you. It is important to fill in this form completely and accurately.

Click here to access the printable history form if you wish to complete it ahead of time.

After reading your medical history and asking for clarification on important details, Dr. Kelly will personally perform a thorough and detailed eye exam. Please note that Dr. Kelly often dilates patients' eyes during the exam to assess the health of the entire eye. Dilation typically results in blurry vision and light sensitivity for 3 hours following the exam and may make computer work, reading and driving difficult.

We suggest taking this into account when scheduling your consultation and consider bringing a companion if you need to drive. Overall, a full consultation with dilation will require a 90 minute office visit.

He will be glad to address all of your questions and concerns regarding cataract surgery.

Preparing for Surgery

If you are a good candidate for cataract surgery, we will schedule your surgery date or dates, as well as follow-up exams. There are typically 3-4 brief post-operative visits following surgery. We require that you read the consent-for-surgery forms as well as the pre- and post-surgery instruction forms before surgery. Prior to surgery, we require that you have signed all consent forms.

Payment arrangements should be taken care of on or before the day of surgery. We will obtain insurance information at your consultation and prior to surgery can tell you what portion of the cost will be covered. If you are interested in using one of our popular financing options you can save time by applying prior to your visit. You may do this securely on-line by clicking here. If you have questions regarding payment or financing please visit our Financing page.

You will also be given prescriptions for eye drops and other medications prior to surgery. We strongly advise filling the prescriptions prior to your surgery date for convenience and so that you can use the eye drops the day of surgery.

There are distinct advantages and disadvantages of having one or both eyes operated on the same day. The majority of cataract patients have their eyes operated on separate days, there are situations in which Dr. Kelly may perform both surgeries on the same day. If you have specific questions prior to your surgery, please call our office.

Day of Surgery

You must arrange to have someone drive you to and from surgery. Your vision will be affected, and you will be given a relaxant medication. Follow the pre-operative instructions in preparing for your surgery.

While the procedure itself takes only 10-20 minutes, you should expect to spend about two hours at the office. Wear comfortable clothes.

Overall, the majority of patients describe the cataract surgery procedure as mildly uncomfortable. For more detailed information, please see our page on cataract surgery.

Following surgery, you should go home and rest. Use your prescription medications according to the instructions. Do not rub or touch your eye or the eye shield.

After Surgery

Your eyes may feel irritated, uncomfortable and dry for several days following surgery. You will also likely experience blurry or unfocused vision following surgery. You should continue using your prescription medication as instructed. During this first week, you should avoid strenuous activities, such as lifting heavy objects, and you should avoid getting anything in your eyes, including water. Do not be surprised if you have a low tolerance for TV watching or computer use during this time.

Your vision will continue to improve for at least the two weeks following cataract surgery. Depending on the type of intraocular lens you received, your vision may take longer to adjust, up to three months in some cases, though most people see great within a couple weeks.

If you are a current patient with questions about your recovery, please call our office at 1-877-377-EYES. If you would like to schedule a consultation to talk to Dr. Kelly about cataract surgery, please call or contact a patient coordinator today.