Is cataract surgery painful?
Dr. Krishma Zaver
Wondering, “Is cataract surgery painful?” You’ve come to the right place!
Most patients do not report that their cataract surgery was painful. Precautions are taken before, during and after the surgery to ensure you are comfortable, typically including a mild sedative administered through an IV to relax you for the surgery.
Numbing drops are instilled in order to allow for a comfortable experience during surgery, as well. When the eye is completely numb, the surgeon will then place an eyelid holder onto the surgical eye. This will prevent you from blinking during the procedure.
There are different sizes of eyelid holders, so the correct size is selected by the surgeon in an added effort to minimize discomfort.
- Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure that lasts about 10 minutes.
- Although you are awake for the surgery, you likely won’t remember much of the procedure.
- During the surgery, you are able to communicate with the surgeon. If you notice significant discomfort, you will be able to let the surgeon know and the anesthesiologist may be able to modify the sedation.
- The surgeon will also offer brief updates and instructions, so that you are as cooperative as possible, and to avoid any surprises.
Following cataract surgery, and possibly for the remainder of the day, you may notice some discomfort in the form of dryness and/or foreign body sensation. Artificial tears can be used to minimize the dry and scratchy sensations.
By the next morning, the day of the 1-day post-operative visit, most patients are relatively comfortable.