Post Post Operative cataract

[auntijoan]

I had cataract surgery in Dec. ' 07 and Jan. ' 08. My eyes seem to have healed properly, and my vision is tremendously improved. (The lenses had some correction built into them.)

Now that I'm post post-operative, as you might say, is there anything special I should be doing to protect my eyes and the new lenses? Do I have "regular eyes" now?

Thanks!

Aunti Joan

[auntijoan]

Doctor -

Thank you very much for your reassuring answer! I rather thought that is how it would be.

I haven't seen clearly since I was about 8 years old - very myopic - and now I'm looking at trees - individual leaves! I can see stars! The moon isn't a rayed big white blob - say, there is a face! Binoculars are useful; objects are  completely in focus!

I just wear readers for things closer than about 30" or so, but I can deal with that.

I'm 57, and I wish this surgery  could have been done earlier. Various eye doctors have told me that contacts and laser surgery would give rather unsatisfactory results. Maybe due to my astigmatism, and very dry eyes...Or maybe since I've had progressive lenses since my late 30's...  But IOLs were never suggested.

Again, thank you very much for your reply!

Joan

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

You can do your regular "things."  I recommend against kickboxing, prizefighting, and any activity where you expect to get hit hard in the face.  It is a good idea to wear sunglasses when outside to protect your retinas as well as eyelids, conjuctiva an corneas (this is for everyone - not just post-cataract surgery patients.)  Basically, take care to protect your eyes just at you did all your life.  You have "have regular" eyes now.  In general, it would take a major trauma to dislodge your IOL's and that kind of trauma would hurt any eye probably.

MJK MD