Are You Awake During Cataract Surgery? Everything You Need to Know

Are you going to have cataract surgery but feeling anxious? If yes, worry not, as stats show that an estimated 20 million cases of this surgery are performed every year worldwide. So, restoring vision is one of the most common and safest procedures. However, your query, “Are you awake during cataract surgery?” is quite valid. Keep reading this blog to find a detailed answer to it…

What Is Cataract Surgery?

Before delving into the procedure and other details, let’s first see what cataract surgery is. Basically, your eye functions like a camera and has a lens to focus light. When cataracts form, this lens starts to become cloudy and yellowish. Cataract surgery gets rid of this cloudy lens and replaces it with a fine, artificial lens. This is how it restores vision and improves your quality of life.

What Are the Types of Cataract Surgery?

Now that you know what cataract surgery  is, let’s take a look at its three major types that have their own benefits. You should note that your eye care surgeon will select one, depending on your specific eye condition.

1. Phacoemulsification

It is the simplest type of cataract surgery and involves only small incisions in your eye. Your doctor uses ultrasound waves to break the cloudy lens and suction out the little fragments. This type of cataract surgery has a very quick recovery time, and you will notice clear improvement shortly after the procedure.

2. Extracapsular Cataract Extraction

It is a less common procedure used for complicated cataracts. It involves making a large incision in the eye and removing the whole cataract in one piece. However, if you undergo this type of surgery, you will have a longer recovery period.

3. Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery

This is an advanced method in which doctors perform surgical steps like incision and fragmentation of cataracts with a femtosecond laser. Specifically, it reduces manual effort, and there is less risk of complications. Luckily, this type of cataract surgery ensures patients a better visual outcome.

How Cataract Surgery Is Performed? Step-by-Step Procedure

Now let’s discuss how your eye surgeon performs cataract surgery:

1. The surgery starts by numbing the surface of your eye. For this purpose, doctors use eye drops so that you may not see anything coming to your eyes. Sometimes, they also give you medicine to relax you during the procedure.
2. After that, they make a little incision in the cornea of your eye using a laser or blade. Don’t worry; this incision does not need any stitches.
3. Then, they break the cataract with ultrasound waves and suction out all the fragmented pieces of cataract.
4. After removing the cataract, your surgeon places a new, clean lens within the same incision. It fits in the same place where the cloudy lens was.
5. In the final step, they place an eye patch over your eye to protect it.

Are You Awake During Cataract Surgery?

Now comes the most important part: Do they put you to sleep for cataract surgery or not? Well, you are awake during this surgery. But they give you mild sedative medication before surgery to make you relaxed and use anesthesia to numb your eye. It is just to keep you free of pain during the procedure. Also, with this sort of anesthesia, you don’t see anything coming towards your eye but just a rainbow of lights.

What Anesthesia Is Used for Cataract Surgery?

Usually, doctors use the following anesthesia for cataract surgery:

⦿ Topical Anaesthesia:

It involves anesthetic eye drops or gel applied directly to the eyes. It has very few side effects and is commonly used for straightforward procedures.

⦿ Local Anesthesia

It involves an injection of anesthetic medication in the bone surrounding the eye. It numbs the area more deeply than topical anesthesia. It is more beneficial for complicated procedures such as having a high level of anxiety.

How Long Is a Cataract Operation?

On average, this operation takes 15 to 30 minutes. However, the duration can increase if you have a complex cataract. After the surgery is over, doctors keep you there for 15 to 20 minutes to monitor your condition. Once everything is satisfactory, they schedule your first appointment and allow you to go home.

How Long Does It Take to Recover from Cataract Surgery?

Usually, patients take almost four weeks to fully recover from this surgery. However, some people get the desired outcome within a few days of surgery. Your doctor will provide you with an exact timeframe when your vision will return to its full potential.

However, during this recovery period, you should avoid straining your eyes and protect them from frequent water and dust exposure. It is recommended that you continue using prescribed eye drops to avoid inflammation and infection in your eyes.

Conclusion

After reading the above guide, we hope you can now approach cataract surgery with full confidence and ease. Step forward and improve your vision without any complications. However, if you still have any confusion about ‘Are you awake during cataract surgery’ or different anesthesia options, you can consult a professional eye care center for further details. Bring all your questions to them and know what to expect in your unique eye case.

FAQS

How will I feel during cataract surgery?

During surgery, you may feel some pressure or vibrations, but ensure that there is no pain after anesthesia. You should inform the surgical team immediately if there is any severe discomfort.

What are the unusual symptoms after cataract surgery?

Some of the unusual symptoms involve severe vision loss, intense pain, swelling, persistent redness, unusual eye drainage or nausea and vomiting. In case you suffer from any such condition, do inform your ophthalmologist.