What to expect after Cataract Surgery.
Eye surgery specifics and answers to frequently asked questions about eye surgery (the way we do it). Presented by the experts at The Eye Clinic of Florida.
Q: Can I drive home after Cataract Eye Surgery?
A: Not a good idea. It can take a few hours for the brain to adjust to the new vision. You must bring a driver with you to your surgery.
Q: Can I drive the next day?
A: Usually. You will usually see better after surgery without glasses in the eye that had the surgery. We take out the lens on that side of your glasses (usually) to give the best use of both eyes the next day. Of course, one should use good judgement and if you don’t feel you are seeing well enough to drive….then don’t. But most usually have no problem driving the next day.
Q: Can I swim after the Eye Surgery?
A: You can get in water but probably shouldn’t put your head under water for a week after cataract surgery.
Q: Can I wear my make up to the surgery center?
A: No eye make up or mascara please. Wash the face clean before coming.
Q: Can I wear my sleep apnea mask after the Eye Surgery?
A: We recommend not wearing pressurized sleep apnea masks for a few nights after the surgery. These devices can blow dirty air into the eye!
Q: Do I need to have an empty stomach before Eye Surgery?
A: No. You can eat a light breakfast up to 2 hours before surgery at our facility. To avoid having to go to the bathroom during the surgery we suggest no caffiene or dairy products that day.
Q: Do I need to stop my blood thinners?
A: No. For routine surgery, stopping aspirin, plavix or coumadin is unnecessary. In fact, changing your medicine routine is not necessary.
Q: Does Cataract Surgery Hurt?
A: Usually not. Most patients treated by Dr. Mahootchi receive a mild short acting sedative by vein just before the procedure. This relaxes the patient without completely knocking them out or requiring life support. The same type of numbing eye drops used in the clinic are used at the surgery center. But these drops numb for longer. More anxious patients may elect to “block the eye”. This makes the eye more numb and also makes it so the eye can’t move or see during the procedure. If you need a block, you will need to wear some tape over the eye for about 4 hours afterwards.
Q: I can’t lie flat. Is that a problem?
A: We can work around most positional problems with our special beds and equipment. For patient in chronic back pain we have several techniques that can take the pressure off the back. For patients who get short of breath easily, we can usually adjust the neck and back position to make the surgery possible.
Q: Should I stop my other drops like artificial tears or glaucoma drops while using my cataract surgery drops?
A: No. In fact, stopping dry eye drops can slow your healing down. Glaucoma medications should be continued. The cataract surgery treats the cataract and not glaucoma directly.
Q: When can I go to a beauty salon after Eye Surgery?
A: The next day.
Q: When can I play golf?
A: The next day. In general you can do anything that doesn’t involve the risk of getting something in your eye. So no weed-eating, raquette ball, or mowing the lawn for awhile. Also, heavy lifting should be limited to objects under 30 pounds for a few days.
Q: When can I shower after Eye Surgery?
A: The next day is fine. It probably is a good idea to wash your hair in a way that the water falls to the back of your head and not over the eyes.
Happy Patient Testimonials
Happy Patients Talk About Their Experience with Cataract Surgery and Dr. Mahootchi.
This place is something AWESOME. Before my aunt had cataract surgery she had trouble counting fingers right in front of her. Now she has 20/20 vision. I must admit I was skeptical at first because of just being the type of person who worry a lot about my aunt. But I'm glad we trusted the process.
Years after surgery’s seeing 20/20 the results are outstanding. Now I only visit annually for a health checkup. Thank you Dr. Mahootchi and Team!!
I had a pleasant experience at The Eye Clinic of Florida. It was my first time there, and everything went really well. Dr. Huang and all the assistants were very thorough.
I am new to the area and needed my annual eye exam. After researching several eye clinics and reading the reviews I decided to book an appointment with the eye clinic of Florida.
It was a very nice experience and happy I chose them. They are friendly and knowledgeable!
I highly recommend them.
I have been going here for two years now, and both times the entire staff, from reception to nurse to doctor, were all so kind! They have a great selection of eyewear, the eye exam was made very comfortable, and again everyone was so nice. I would absolutely recommend this location to others (:
My experience at The Eye Clinic of Florida was outstanding. Dr. Mahootchi and his staff are extremely kind and caring. When I was in the surgical center I saw the staff cleaning the chairs and utensils whenever a patient left the area. Very impressive. I would highly recommend The Eye Clinic of Florida and Dr. Mahootchi to anyone.
Dr. Mahootchi is A #1 in my book, for sure! He has performed a couple procedures and I couldn’t be more happy with the results. The Same Day Surgery Center is very accommodating, as well as, the staff. All of the staff are very caring people, and make sure their patients are taken care! I highly recommend The Eye Clinic of Florida!
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