Advanced cataracts—painful surgery?
Posted , 7 users are following.
My mother is having her first cataract surgery within a few days. The surgery has been put off repeatedly (COVID and other reasons), and the cataracts are advanced ( her surgeon qualified them as "a nine out of ten"). I know that surgery is challenging for the surgeon in such cases. Should it also be more painful than it is for the average patient? She will be having monitored anaesthesia care with "twilight" sedation.
Do most people experience at least some "discomfort" during cataract surgery? The web pages I've read on this topic are contradictory.
0 likes, 14 replies
kevin1951 janet2231
Edited
I had surgery three weeks ago. I was told my cataract was a 3 on a 5 scale. I was given light anesthesia and it was not painful in the least. I am 70 years old. A more advanced cataract may take longer to emulsify and remove. My optometrist told me not to wait too long to make my appointment with the ophthalmologist for this reason. I did wait over a year, however, because of the pandemic. I hope your mother's surgery goes well. It is likely her vision will be greatly improved.
janet2231 kevin1951
Posted
Thank you, Kevin! "Not painful in the least" is a very reassuring phrase. Yes, there should be a big improvement in her vision. As the ophthalmologist observed with droll understatement and a smile, "It will be nice to see again."
Any tips you might have for avoiding complications postsurgery would be appreciated. Mom is worried about getting water in the eye inadvertently while showering, encountering bumps in the road during long car trips, turning over in bed etc. She is having a reduced-drop procedure with injectable medication.
Night-Hawk janet2231
Edited
I also had a surgeon that used reduced eye drops for cataract surgery.
For the first week or so be sure to use the plastic eye shield when sleeping, etc.
I also got a pair of plastic eye goggles for swimming that I used to protect the eye during showering for the first week or so. But I found it wasn't that hard to keep water spray from hitting the eyes anyway.
I was especially careful (no rubbing the eyes, etc) because I got a monofocal toric IOL and for that type you have to be sure it doesn't rotate in the eye in the first month or so. After that the IOL should be pretty stable.
RonAKA janet2231
Posted
As @Night-Hawk says she needs to wear the eye shield while sleeping for the first week. In the shower I made sure to keep the eye closed and avoided any contact with it. No rubbing! Having the very dark glasses to wear home from the surgery was helpful, but I really did not have much pain the day of the surgery. The surgeon I saw does an exam 24 hours after the surgery so that meant a trip back to the clinic the next day early. When I got out of bed I felt fine, but when I turned the lights on, then major ouch. I suspect on the day of the surgery the anesthetic drops they used were still working and my eye was dilated and the pupil stationary. What I found the next day was that every time my pupil dilated or contracted due to a light change there was significant pain. Traffic lights, and brake lights from the vehicles ahead were somewhat brutal. The day after surgery the dark glasses were absolutely essential. I recall that effect went away after a couple of days. Essentially that was the only pain I felt from the whole process.
RonAKA janet2231
Edited
I asked for sedation and got a IV put in my hand. Just before surgery I got something (not sure what) that significantly reduced my awareness of what was going on. I recall seeing bright lights and occasionally voices, but I did not experience any pain or discomfort. At one point I thought my nose was itchy and tried to scratch it. I recall hearing a voice saying something like "keep your hand down, we are almost done". That was about it. I recovered from the sedation quite quickly. My wife drove me home, and it was good to have dark glasses to wear as the eye drops dilate your eyes and any light seems very bright.
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Having your teeth cleaned at the dentist is more uncomfortable than having cataract surgery.
janet2231 RonAKA
Posted
Ron--Thank you so much for the detailed reply and especially the anecdote! The bit about the itchy nose gave Mom a much needed chuckle. She was glad to hear, too, that your recovery from sedation was swift. We are so glad to hear that this is not a painful procedure.
jettesun janet2231
Edited
I recently had cataract surgery on one eye, with no anesthesia or sedation other than the topical drops for numbing. I was fully awake and aware during the whole thing. My cataract was not as bad as you are describing, but I can tell you the surgery itself is very quick, over So fast, and not painful. I did feel some pressure and stretching in my eyeball, and heard weird noises from the machine, as it was pulling the bits of old lens out. But I had researched ahead of time and knew what to expect, so wasn't concerned. I was aware when surgeon was making the small incision, though it was just a sensation and not pain. I sat right up afterwards, and went to collect my paperwork with post-op instructions. I can truthfully say that I felt no discomfort during the surgery. Hope your Mom's surgery is just as quick and easy.
janet2231 jettesun
Posted
jettesun- Just the drops? You have a lot of equanimity.
Thank you so much for the well wishes and the detailed description of your experience with the procedure. You make it sound tolerable even without sedation! It helps a lot to know that, as well as some of the variables she might encounter.
Sue.An2 jettesun
Posted
I too had just the numbing drops. Offered an Ativan as well. Although I was nervous it wax not at all the least bit painful.Would take this vs teeth cleaning any day.
lucy24197 janet2231
Posted
Surgery on first eye about 3 1/2 weeks ago. My cataract wasn't nearly as advanced as your mom's, but it really wasn't bad at all. Comparisons to teeth cleaning are pretty accurate, although I had NO pain with the cataract surgery, whereas you get the occasional jab from the dentist. I had valium and they used drops to numb the eye. I felt pressure a couple times--not as bad as pressing your finger on a bruise--not painful, but a little uncomfortable. For me the very worst part was having a bright light shine in your eye and being unable to blink. It uncomfortable and I was really ready for it to be over, but there was not anything I'd call pain.
I had twilight anesthesia when I had my wisdom teeth out. The last thing I remember before the extraction was the cold feeling of the anesthetic going up my arm--then I was gone until the end of the procedure (although apparently I was aware enough to talk to the surgeon and tell him my boyfriend better send me flowers.) Sounds like they're taking good care of your mom to keep her as relaxed and comfortable as possible.
RonAKA lucy24197
Posted
You reminded me. I also had the cold feeling too when I got the anesthesia via the IV.
janet2231 lucy24197
Posted
Thank you so much for the kind words, Lucy! Mom appreciated the anecdote and she'll be prepared for the bright lights and other odd sensations now.
lucy24197 janet2231
Edited
Double post
lucy_73160 janet2231
Posted
I had IV sedation (twilight) for both cataract surgeries. The first surgery did not hurt at all. The second cataract surgery did hurt while the doctor was doing it. (I told the doctor afterwards that it hurt and he said that I should have told him and he would have stopped. ) As they were wheeling me out of the operating room, I told the nurse that my eye hurt and she asked me if I wanted Tylenol. I told her I did. My eye hurt and teared up (tears running down my face) the whole day. By the next day the pain and tearing had stopped. I also had a lot of swelling in the second eye that took a couple of weeks to resolve. I did not have that in the first eye.