After cataract surgery, most patients experience an improvement in their vision within a few days. Colors may appear brighter due to the new, clear lens. However, it is important to note that perfect vision is not always achieved. Eyeglasses or contact lenses may still be necessary.
At Elmquist Eye Group, we can help you choose an intraocular lens implant that fits your lifestyle and provides you with a high level of vision without glasses. Many patients with cataracts experience “unwanted visual images” after surgery, also known as dysphotopsia. Glare, halos, and light rays are examples of positive dysphototopsia. They occur most often at night or in low light, and are more common with multifocal lenses. These effects may be more noticeable between surgery on the first and second eye.
Residual refractive error can also cause positive dysphototopsia, and the correct prescription of glasses will correct it. Other times, PCO may be the cause, and YAG laser treatment may resolve the problem. After 8 weeks, the eye should be completely healed. The cataract surgeon will use a laser to make an opening in the opaque capsule, allowing light to pass through it for a clear view. It occurs when the lens capsule, the membrane that holds the new intraocular lens in place, becomes blurry or wrinkled and begins to blur your vision.
PCO can appear a few weeks to several years after cataract surgery, but a YAG laser capsulotomy usually isn't performed until at least three months after the initial cataract surgery to ensure that the eye has completely healed. Before cataract surgery, the eye doctor will use an ultrasound to take accurate measurements of the size and shape of the eye. If you want to be able to function without eyeglasses or contact lenses after cataract surgery, the doctors at Elmquist Eye Group will help you explore which intraocular lens is the best choice for your lifestyle. Laser cataract surgery uses the LensX laser, which replaces many of the steps that had to be performed by hand during traditional cataract surgery. This condition, called a “cataract”, makes it difficult for light to travel through the lens and the images processed by the retina are cloudy or blurry. After the cataracts are removed, floating bodies or small dots or lines may appear in the field of vision. Cataract surgery involves replacing the eye's natural lens with an artificial lens to improve the clarity of vision. One of the best things about having cataract surgery is knowing that you'll finally be able to see clearly again.
Around 90% of people see better after cataract surgery, and this will continue to improve for several months.
