Cataract surgery is one of the most common operations in the country, and one of the most successful. The part nobody explains well is what happens to your glasses. Here is the short version.
Before surgery
Your surgeon will want a recent exam and measurements of your eyes. If you see an eye doctor locally, those records can be sent to the surgical practice so your consult goes faster. Keep wearing your current glasses; there is no point buying new ones right before surgery, because the prescription is about to change.
What the surgery does to your prescription
The cloudy natural lens is replaced with an artificial lens implant. The implant has its own power, chosen by your surgeon, which means your old prescription no longer applies. Depending on the implant:
- Standard monofocal implants set for distance usually leave you needing reading glasses.
- Multifocal or extended-depth implants reduce the need for glasses but do not always eliminate it.
- If only one eye is done, you may need a temporary solution while the second eye waits.
After surgery
Your surgeon handles the medical follow-up visits. Vision fluctuates for a few weeks while the eye heals, so most surgeons recommend waiting until they confirm your prescription is stable before buying glasses. Inexpensive readers or an interim pair can bridge the gap.
Getting new glasses
Once you are cleared, you will need an updated prescription from an eye doctor and then a properly fitted pair. If you liked your old frames, an optician can often put new lenses in them. Many patients end up with simple reading glasses and a pair of sunglasses, since eyes are more light-sensitive after surgery.
Best Chance Optical in Forsyth offers pre-op exams, coordinates records with surgeons in Macon and Atlanta, and makes your post-surgery glasses in our on-site lab. See our pre- and post-op support.