Refractive Lens Implants
General Info | ReSTOR Facts | Cataract Facts | Stats | FAQ | Glossary

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is surgery the only option to treat a cataract?

Just because you have a cataract does not mean that you have to have it removed. Cataract surgery only becomes necessary if you are not happy with your vision and want to see better. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about your vision.

2. Does cataract surgery hurt?

Thanks to numbing drops and medications to help you relax, this procedure involves minimal discomfort.

3. Will I be asleep during cataract surgery?

Instead, your surgeon MAY use a local/topical anesthetic to numb your eye and you will remain awake during the surgery Since this procedure does not take very long, it is unnecessary to put you completely asleep with general anesthesia.

4. Who performs the procedure, a surgeon or a technician?

DR. MATAMOROS will perform the procedure. There will be a technician and nurse in the room to assist them.

5. I have cataracts in both eyes. Will the doctor treat both at the same time?

Typically, DR. MATAMOROS will perform surgery in the second eye two or three weeks after the first eye. All patients are different.

6. How long will I be in the hospital OR THE AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTER?

Patients commonly spend only a few hours at surgery center, and are allowed to go home the very same day.

7. How long before I can see after surgery?

Every patient and every eye is different, but patients commonly see well enough to drive the day after surgery.

8. How long until I can return to normal activities?

Most patients can resume normal basic activities like reading and watching TV by the next day, and return to work within two to seven days. However, results vary for different patients, so you should ask DR. MATAMOROS AND DISCUSS what is best for you.

9. After surgery, will I be able to drive at night?

Your ability to drive at night should be much enhanced once your cataract is removed. Patients with the AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL may notice a ring of light around headlights and other point-light sources. These are typically mild, rarely bothersome, and tend to diminish with time.

10. Will I need glasses after cataract surgery?

It depends on what type of intraocular lens you elect to have implanted. SOME PATIENTS MAY OR MAY NOT NEED GLASSES OR CONTACTS FOR DISTANCE OR NEAR TASKS FOLLOWING CATARACT SURGERY WITH A TRADITONAL MONOFOCAL INTRAOCULAR LENS. . However, in the clinical trials, four out of five AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL patients reported never wearing glasses for distance, intermediate or near tasks after their surgery.

11 Can my cataract come back?

No, once a cataract has been removed it cannot return. However, over time, patients may complain that their vision has once AGAIN BECOME CLOUDY OR HAZY.