Most patients remain awake. Your role is to lie calmly, follow instructions and report pain, anxiety or a need to move before making any movement.
Is cataract surgery painful?
Short answer. Cataract surgery is usually performed under local anaesthesia, so severe or sharp pain should not occur.
The eye may be numbed with drops, an injection around the eye or a combination of methods. The choice depends on the eye, the complexity of surgery and your general health.
You may feel touch, mild pressure, cool fluid or movement of fluid. Tell the team calmly if you are in pain, anxious, short of breath or uncomfortable.
- Do not remain silent if you have significant pain.
- Tell the team in advance about anxiety, cough, tremor, back pain or difficulty lying flat.
- Do not take sedatives unless advised by the clinical team.
What will I see, hear and feel?
Short answer. Most people see bright light, colours, shadows and indistinct shapes, while hearing staff voices and normal equipment sounds.
Patients usually cannot see instruments or detailed surgical actions. Visual sensations vary and may change during the procedure.
You may hear the surgeon, staff conversation and equipment signals. You may also feel light pressure, touch, coolness or fluid running towards the temple.
- Do not deliberately change your direction of gaze.
- Listen to the surgeon and avoid unnecessary talking.
- Report pain, panic, nausea or breathing difficulty immediately.
Why must I keep my head still, and what if I need to cough?
Short answer. Unexpected movement changes the eye’s position while the surgeon is working with fine instruments.
Lie calmly on your back, keep your head in the position set by the team and look where the surgeon asks. You do not need to control blinking because the eyelids are held gently open.
If you need to cough, sneeze, move or report pain, warn the team first. The surgeon can pause and tell you when it is safe to move.
- Do not raise your hand, sit up or turn your head unless that method was agreed beforehand.
- Tell the team before surgery about chronic cough, breathlessness, tremor or difficulty lying flat.
Sources
Educational information only. Follow the instructions of your surgical team.