What to Expect in Your Cataract Surgery Consultation

When your eye doctor first diagnoses cataracts, it may seem like a frightening moment. However, eye doctors in the Greater Phoenix area now offer vision correction surgery to restore your vision. Prior to surgery, you’ll meet with the doctor for a cataract surgery consultation. During this meeting, you can ask any questions you may have, and you’ll go through a series of tests in preparation for surgery.

What Are Cataracts?

You have a clear lens in each eye under normal circumstances. If you develop cataracts, one or both lenses cloud over. Gradually, the loss of vision will impact day-to-day activities. At that time, one of our eye doctors in Mesa and Chandler may recommend vision correction surgery.

What Are the Symptoms of Cataracts?

Often, cataracts progress gradually, and age-related cataracts can worsen over time. However, diabetes-related cataracts often develop more aggressively.

Symptoms include:

• Difficulty with night vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Blurry vision
• Halo around lights
• Difficulty seeing in dim light
• Objects have a yellow tinge
• Eye pain
• Headaches

The important thing is to realize that you don’t have to go through the journey alone. There are numerous treatments such as corrective eyewear and non-surgical treatment options. At the end of the day, though, you will probably need vision correction surgery to regain your vision.

Getty Ready for Your Cataract Surgery Consultation

Bring your current glasses prescription and any documentation you have regarding your diagnosis. The doctor will also want a list of current medications you take, if any.

Stop wearing contact lenses at least three weeks prior to your appointment. If you have questions about preparing for your consultation, contact our office, and we will put your mind at ease.

Cataract Surgery Consultation

So, when the day of the appointment arrives, what can you expect? First, keep in mind that our eye doctors specialize in cataract and LASIK surgery in Mesa and Chandler. So, you are in good hands!

The surgeon performing the vision correction surgery will look through any documents you have brought. Our staff will also take a complete medical history. This gives the surgeon a good idea of your current health status.

Next, you will go through a series of tests to help ensure the best results during surgery.

Eye Tests

Before you meet with the surgeon, we will perform an eye exam. This starts with a refraction and dilation eye exam so the doctor can examine your cataracts and the inside of your eyes. Next, we measure the eyeball to ensure the right prescription for your artificial lens. The intraocular lens will replace your clouded lens during the surgery.

You may also undergo an optical coherence tomography (OCT) if the surgeon feels it’s necessary.

Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Tests

You may get these measurements taken at your general practitioner’s office or another location. Due to the intricacy of the surgery, it’s important to have recent blood pressure and blood sugar readings. These conditions complicate both the surgery and recovery period.

You may also meet with an anesthesiologist prior to the surgery. While this may seem like a lot of tests to prepare for surgery, it’s important to ensure that you are in the best possible health. It facilitates the recovery process and may reduce the risk of complications.

Are you still wondering why you need cataract surgery? After a certain point, cataract surgery is the only way to safely remove cataracts and restore your vision.

Takeaways

A diagnosis of cataracts no longer means that you must accept the gradual loss of your vision. Work with your doctor to monitor your condition. Keep in mind that Swagel Wootton Eye Institute has some top eye doctors in the Greater Phoenix area.

Just because you have a cataract doesn’t mean you have to live with it. If you find that your quality of life has gone down with cataracts, make sure you speak to an eye surgeon about your options. Cataract surgery can change your life for the better. In fact, we specialize in cataract and LASIK surgery in Mesa and Chandler.

Learn more about cataracts here.

Rest assured that our eye doctors in Mesa and Chandler perform thousands of vision correction surgeries every year.