Before & After Surgery

Surgical Experience

Recent studies have shown that the more cataract procedures a surgeon does, the less likely he is to have complications of surgery. Dr. Christopher Tortora of the Hawaiian Eye Center has performed well over 10,000 cataract procedures, and is one of the most experienced cataract surgeons in the state.

• Before Surgery
• After Surgery
• Informed Consent

 

Before Surgery

Before your procedure, we will give you instructions on how to prepare your eye. You will need to use some eye drops, clean your face on morning of the surgery day, and eat very little breakfast. Diabetics will receive special instructions on diet and the use of their medicines. Someone should drive you to the surgicenter on the day of surgery as you will not be able to drive home. We usually have transportation available if you arrange it in advance.

If you wear contact lenses, they must be out of your eyes for 1-3 weeks prior to surgery. Please inform your doctor or the staff if you wear contact lenses so we can go over instructions on when to remove them before surgery.

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After Surgery

With modern advances in cataract care, there are very few limitations on your activities after cataract surgery. You will need to use some drops for a few weeks, and will get instructions both immediately after surgery, and on the day following the procedure.

After the procedure, it is best to rest since you will be tired from the effects of the anesthesia. However, it is OK to return to normal activities if you feel up to it. We recommend you wear something to protect the eye (usually sunglasses), avoid getting water in the eye or rubbing the eye, and cover the eye with a protective shield at night for the first several weeks to reduce the chance of injury.

It is OK to bathe after surgery, but avoid getting water in your eye. You may find that the vision is blurry at first or that you feel off balance from the changes in your eye. You may also temporarily see some spots in the vision, an arc or shadow in your peripheral vision, or other changes in your vision. This is normal and improves with time. You will be instructed to call immediately if you have any problem at all. There is always a doctor available to answer your call for emergencies.

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Informed Consent

It is important for you to understand that no surgical procedure is without risk. Complications sometimes happen although they are rare. Most problems which occur can be corrected and only slow the healing process. Rarely, additional surgery may be required for the best possible outcome. In extremely rare and unusual cases, vision loss, chronic pain, and even blindness can occur due to complications of surgery. While the risks of cataract removal are small, the benefits are usually considerable.

Other conditions that affect the vision such as diabetes, glaucoma, macular degeneration or stroke can also affect the vision, limiting the vision even when surgery is perfect. We can’t always accurately predict the outcome of surgery.

Before surgery, and after explaining the details of surgery as they apply to your eye, we will ask you to sign an informed consent form for your operation, indicating that you understand the options regarding the procedure and possible complications and risks. We will do our best to be sure you have this form before surgery so you have ample time to review it. If there is something you do not understand, please clarify it before you sign the forms. We are here to help you and be sure you understand as much as possible about the procedure. We also have a video available with information about risks and benefits of surgery if you’d like to watch it.

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