After the removal of the cataract, a little sensitivity to light is expected due to the dryness of the eye. However, if your eyes are flexibly squinted or closed when exposed to light, it could be a sign of eye inflammation or iritis. The increase in light that enters the eye after cataract surgery is the main cause of the increase in sensitivity to light after cataract surgery. The new lens implanted inside the eye doesn't block light like the cataract lens did before surgery.
However, the brain adapts to this new state within a few weeks. In the meantime, good quality sunglasses can be used when needed. Surgery can cause a detachment of the posterior vitreous, where the vitreous is separated from the retina. It causes you to see moving cobwebs and clouds in your vision, along with flashes of light.
The week after surgery, your vision may remain a little blurry. You can accelerate recovery by avoiding sand, water and pollution.
After cataract surgery
, expect your vision to begin to improve within a few days. Your vision may be blurred at first as your eye heals and adapts. The American Council on Refractive Surgery reports that most people are considered cured of cataract surgery within eight weeks.Light sensitivity decreases within a few weeks during the recovery period after cataract surgery, as the brain adapts to the new normal level of light intensity. Dry eye is one of the most common causes why sensitivity to light can also persist beyond the first few weeks. In most cases, the common and normal cause of increased sensitivity to light is simply the fact that the opaque lens for cataracts is replaced by a new transparent lens during cataract surgery, allowing more light to enter the eye. When the doctor removes the opaque lens during cataract surgery, some pieces may fall into the eye and be left behind.
Some possible complications of cataract surgery include cystoid macular edema, dry eyes, swelling, subsequent capsular opacification, and retinal detachment. Because of cataracts, photophobia or sensitivity to light is triggered. It is not a condition but a side effect of this condition. The second common reason for increased sensitivity to light after cataract surgery is mild to moderate corneal swelling after cataract surgery.
Blurred vision is common after cataract surgery for a few days, but continued blurred vision may mean that you have a problem. During a procedure called phacoemulsification, the surgeon makes a small incision in the front of the eye (cornea) and inserts a needle-thin probe into the substance of the lens where the cataract formed. A less commonly used procedure, called extracapsular cataract extraction, requires a larger incision than that used for phacoemulsification. Your doctor can help you choose the right lens to replace the opaque lens in your eye, perform surgery that will restore vision and guide your recovery.
Tell your doctor if you are taking any medications for prostate problems, as some of these medications may interfere with cataract surgery. At that time, you can talk to your doctor about scheduling surgery on the other eye so that you can have clear vision in both eyes at the same time.
