Eye drops are prescribed for use starting 3-7 days prior to surgery.
Our staff provides you with the approximate time of surgery about a week prior to surgery.
Consent forms and medical evaluation forms are completed prior to arrival at the surgery center.
Patients should plan to spend approximately 2-3 hours at the surgery center.
Surgical nurses and board certified anesthesiologists prepare you and your eye for surgery.
In the operating room you will be on a comfortable, reclining stretcher bed.
After the eye is anesthetized, it is cleaned and prepared for surgery in a sterile manner.
Dr. Shingleton performs your surgery utilizing a microscope.
After surgery, you will go to the recovery area where you will rest for 15-30 minutes enjoying a snack and coffee or tea.
A nurse will review all postoperative instructions with you prior to discharge.
After surgery, a friend or relative must assist you to your home or hotel where you should relax quietly for the remainder of the day. Most patients feel well and may go out for dinner, however, please devote the entire day to the appropriate care of your eye.
No appointments or business meetings should be planned.
Depending on your anesthesia, you may not need an eye patch or you may require tape and a shield for several hours.
A protective shield without a patch is used at bedtime for the first night. A list of postoperative instructions is given to you prior to your departure from the surgery center.
Most patients experience little or no pain after their procedure, although some patients experience low to moderate discomfort.
You will be seen for a postoperative checkup the day after your surgery. Many patients note improved vision, but there may be some blurring depending on your particular cataract and eye situation. Your best vision is usually obtained by 4 weeks after surgery.
A follow-up visit will be scheduled and postoperative instructions are reviewed. Eye drops are typically used on a tapering schedule for approximately four weeks postoperatively.
Routine activities may be resumed the day after surgery including bending, lifting, stooping, driving (depending on your vision), flying, golf, tennis, jogging, shopping and carrying bags. No mascara is allowed for one week and no swimming for two weeks.
As with any type of surgery, complications are possible. Every effort is made to minimize risk, but serious or long-term complications can never be fully eliminated. No list of complications can be complete and a medical and surgical procedure has potential risks, both foreseen and unforeseen. Each patient is different in this regard and you should review any questions you have about your particular situation with Dr. Shingleton's team.
Our goal is to provide patients with the safest and most successful cataract surgery possible. The majority of our patients enjoy improvement of their vision following cataract surgery with Dr. Shingleton. Please click if you would like to schedule an appointment or receive additional information about Dr. Shingleton's practice.
