Cataracts Part 2

Eye is from a pastel picture Barb

did of me a few years ago!

Today I had what is called a pre-op appointment regarding my up-coming cataract operation.  I first had to sign a sheet informing me what will happen on the day of the operation.  One paragraph was scary, listing all the things that could go wrong. Bleeding, infection, loss of corneal clarity, swelling of the macula, glaucoma, retinal detachment, droopy eyelid, double vision, prolonged inflammation and pupil abnormalities.  My question was, what is the percentage of successful operations and was told it is around 98% so that made me feel better. I hope I am not in the 2%! I paid careful attention to the doctor's hands to make sure she didn't have shaky hands.  She didn't.

There are eye drops that I will begin taking three days before surgery and then continue for six weeks after surgery. The names of the drugs mean nothing to me:  Diciofenac, Zymaxid and Prenisolone.    I looked the drugs up on the Internet but did not find anything relating to the drugs and cataracts. Maybe the old saying of "what you don't know doesn't hurt you" is true!  One drug, I believe, is for inflammation, but I am not sure about the other two medications.

I was told that after surgery there may be a mild aching sensation, a feeling as if there is something in my eye, or a tearing (not ripping, but tears) or draining under the patch. The main instructions, other than the medication, was not to bend over so that my head drops below my waist and not to lift anything weighing over twenty pounds.

My surgery will be at 10:30 a.m. and I need to arrive at the hospital at nine in the morning.  Hopefully, by next month, I will have better eye sight and I can begin to prepare for the surgery on my right eye!