No one likes the idea of having surgery. Feeling nervous before any surgery is a normal response. And when it comes to the eyes, the fear is often worse than the procedure itself. In fact, leading up to surgery, it’s quite common to experience physical symptoms like nausea or inability to sleep, due to the stress that accompanies feeling afraid.
Cataract surgery is one of the most common procedures performed today. For many people, it’s also life changing. After surgery, patients report being able to enjoy everyday activities like reading and cooking, being able to drive at night again and some even report being able to ditch their glasses or contact lenses altogether. But, unfortunately, understanding the benefits doesn’t automatically make the fear disappear.
If you’re afraid of having cataract surgery, you’re not alone. Here are some of the most common fears people like you experience and how best to overcome them:
Fear of the unknown
What will happen? How will it feel? What will recovery be like? To help overcome fear of the unknown, learn more about what to expect during the procedure itself.
Talk to your surgeon. Ask him or her to explain step-by-step exactly what will happen before, during and after the surgery. The more you know about what to expect, the more comfortable you will feel. You will likely discover that it’s not as scary or as complicated as you thought, especially given the surge in the technological advancements of the past decade.
Fear of pain or discomfort
Today, cataract surgery is almost always an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia. While you do remain awake, steps are taken before, during and after, so discomfort is minimized.
Most doctors will provide a mild sedative to help you relax. They will also administer numbing drops beforehand to alleviate any pain or discomfort to the eye during the procedure. After surgery, as the medication wears off, any eye discomfort you might feel is typically very mild and can be managed with short-term use of over-the-counter pain medications.
While the fear of pain is real, actual pain during cataract surgery is not something you should expect. Be sure to talk to your doctor before surgery and let him or her know how you are feeling. Sometimes understanding what’s to come is enough to alleviate any fear.
Fear of complications or a bad outcome
Technological advancements (especially over the past two decades) have helped make cataract surgery a predictable procedure.
Before surgery, your doctor will give you a comprehensive eye exam to provide a recommendation on the best replacement intraocular lens (IOL) for your vision. This is a good time to ask a lot of questions and allow your doctor to address all of your concerns. Read more about questions to ask before cataract surgery here.
One thing that helps cataract patients is focusing on the end result. Remind yourself of all the reasons you are having the procedure. Think about what your life will look like if you don’t have the procedure, and if you do. Chances are having cataract surgery will enhance your quality of life.
It’s common to experience fear before cataract surgery. But it’s also common to hear patients exclaim after surgery, “I don’t know why I waited so long! It was over before I knew it and my life has changed for the better.”
If you’re considering cataract surgery, talk with your doctor about the IC-8 lens. Visit ic8lens.com to learn more about how the IC-8 lens is helping patients see from near to far after cataract surgery.
