Does anyone know about having a "cataract" eye operation.In particular is it an easy recovery period. Im Irish

I have been diagnosed recently with a cataract in my left eye,it's very debilitating and has been getting worse particularly so in brigh sunlight. Would it be better to wear a patch over it as the strain of focusing with 1 good eye & 1 very blurred is causing me to have headaches? PLEASE HELP IF YOU ARE AN OPTHALMOLOGIST id love to be your friend.Im great at fixing Motorbikes maybe we can "BARTER" services!!!!!!!!!

The operation usually lasts around 15 to 20 minutes.

Cataract surgery is usually done under a local anaesthetic which numbs the area but you will be awake. If needed, your anaesthetist can also give you an injection of a sedative, which will make you feel relaxed and possibly drowsy. Less commonly, the operation is done under a general anaesthetic. This means that you will be asleep throughout the procedure and will feel no pain.

During the operation, you will lie in a reclined position in a special chair. The surgeon will work with very fine instruments while looking at your eye through a microscope.

Once the anaesthetic has taken effect, your surgeon will make a tiny incision on the surface of your eye. This incision is usually so small that no stitches are needed.

Your surgeon will use ultrasound energy to break up the cloudy lens (cataract), which can then be removed through a small tube. The lens sits inside a sac of thin tissue called a capsule. This is kept in place to support an artificial replacement lens, which will be inserted through the same incision.

An artificial lens (the intraocular lens) will be put into your eye after the cataract is removed. It is folded to help insert it through the tiny incision. The intraocular lens will be unfolded once it is in your eye. The lens is made from plastic or silicone and remains permanently in your eye.
After the operation

After the operation, your eye is likely to be covered with a protective pad. You will need to wear this for a few hours.

Your operation will usually be a day-case and you will be able to go home once you have made a full recovery from the anaesthetic. It is a good idea to have a friend or relative stay with you for the first 24 hours (especially if it's your only good eye that has been treated).

Sensation usually returns to the eye within a few hours. Improved vision is usually noticed within a few days, although complete healing may take several months.

Before discharge, you will be given eye drops to help prevent infection and promote healing. Your surgeon will also give you advice about how long to use eye drops and, if applicable, when you can resume driving.

You will be given a 24-hour contact telephone number for the hospital and a follow-up appointment will be made.Most surgeons see their patients again within one to three weeks of the operation.

It may be helpful to wear sunglasses or a hat when you leave the hospital as your eye may be sensitive to the sun.
Recovering from cataract surgery

Take it easy for the first two or three days after the operation. If you have questions about what you can and can't do, ask your surgeon or nurse for guidance.

You can resume normal activities such as moving around and bending down, but be careful because it's hard to judge distances with one eye covered.

There are some important things to remember while recovering from cataract surgery.

* Try not to touch or rub your eye.
* Keep soap and shampoo out of your eyes (it's sensible to avoid washing your hair for the first few days).
* In the first few weeks after the operation, avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise as this can increase the pressure in your eye and could put a strain on your healing scar.
* If you suffer more than mild pain, or you experience loss of vision or increasing redness of your eye, you should contact your hospital for advice.

A good friend got the operation on both eyes (not at the same time, of course!) Each time she needed a day in bed, but after that she was up and around. No heavy work for about a week. It was relatively painless and didn't cause any more aftereffect than you'd get from a mild bruise.

I had the operation about 6 years ago and it was not as bad as I thought it would be. I spent no time in the hospital and was back to normal activities in no time! Good Luck!!

Let your doctor know how much trouble its giving you so he gives you higher priority. Ask about eye patch, don't just start wearing one. Cataract operations only take a few minutes, and you only spend half a day or so at the hospital. Then you take it easy at home for a few days using eyedrops. My elderly mother had the op last year and 3 weeks later she was euphoric because she was able to go around without wearing her glasses for the first time in her life (well, since she was 4). She just puts them on for reading now. I must admit I'd never seen her without glasses on.........she's 84. Don't panic, you'll not have to wait long for the op and it'll be worth it.

The only thing I can add to Willow's answer is that the sac that is left during the operation can in time tend to cloud up whereas alot of patients think the cataract has regrown (the cataract is removed,it can't grow back as it's not there).
This cloudiness can be resolved with a few bursts of laser to break up the cloudy sac which at that time is not longer needed.