Blurred vision after cataract surgery

What is a cataract?

Cataract is a condition of turbidity or cloudiness in the lens of the eye, which tends to appear in old age and in both eyes, although in each eye at a different rate and severity of development.
The lens of the eye is transparent in its natural state, and is composed of proteins arranged in a way that enables its transparency.
In a cataract, the proteins lose their special arrangement and a turbidity is obtained, which prevents the penetration of light rays and their focus on the retina in the back of the eye.

The symptoms will appear gradually and slowly, but will eventually lead to damage to the vision and with it damage to the way of life.
Early symptoms can be treated with customized glasses, but when the situation worsens and glasses or lenses no longer help, you can proceed to cataract surgery, which is a preventive treatment and solves the problem permanently.
Cataract development can be somewhat slowed down, but its formation is inevitable.

During cataract surgery, the natural lens of the eye (now cloudy) is replaced with an artificial, clear intraocular lens.
The artificial lens cannot undergo a cataract and therefore there is no need to repeat cataract surgery after it has been performed.
About a month and up to 8 weeks after the surgery, you should be checked for fitting glasses or contact lenses if necessary.
The implanted intraocular artificial lenses last a lifetime and do not need to be replaced.

Is blurred vision normal after cataract surgery?

Immediately after surgery, it is normal and even expected to experience blurred vision. Many patients return to normal activity the day after surgery. During the early recovery period, patients may see unclearly, and vision is expected to improve within 48 hours in most cases. The recovery and the final result varies from person to person and depends on many factors including the condition of the eye before surgery and the severity of the cataract, the surgeon’s abilities, general health condition, genetics, responsiveness to treatment and the patient’s conduct before and after surgery. Also, the eye has to adapt to the new intraocular lens.

When will it be possible to drive after the operation?

As recovery varies from person to person, so does regaining the ability to drive.
Most patients will be able to return to driving within two to three days after surgery, depending on how clear their vision is.
If you do not feel comfortable driving, you should wait and it is important to consult the eye doctor in order not to endanger yourself and others.

When can I go back to work?

Blurred vision during the recovery period after surgery can affect the ability to return to work.
As mentioned, each patient reacts differently to surgery, so there is no definitive answer to this question.
If the vision remains blurry, you should take a few more days off and go to the doctor for follow-ups, and in most cases it will be possible to return to work in just a few days.
This depends on the type of work, as office workers will be able to recover faster than those who work in a dusty environment.
This is because a dusty environment may harm the recovery of the eye and lead to less favorable results.
It is also recommended for patients whose work may endanger themselves or others such as drivers or operators of heavy machinery to wait until their vision is as clear as possible and to consult their attending physician before returning to work.

Another reason for blurred vision after cataract surgery can be a secondary cataract, also known as PCO (posterior capsule opacification) and occurs months to years after surgery.
This is the most common complication after cataract surgery and occurs in about 20% of patients who undergo the procedure.
When epithelial cells remaining on top of the posterior capsule proliferate and migrate, they cover the surface of the capsule and create a condition similar to the primary cataract.

They prevent the light rays from penetrating and focusing on the surface of the retina and cause blurred and cloudy vision.
In order to restore the damaged vision, a kind of window is opened in the center of the posterior capsule (a procedure called capsulotomy) by a YAG laser.
It is a simple and painless procedure that can be done in the clinic and does not require hospitalization.
Recovery from it is quick and easy, and the improvement in vision is evident within a few hours.
Even after this procedure, follow-up is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness as well as the need for glasses.

Although it is a very safe procedure and with high success rates, some patients report “floaters” which are floating bodies that interfere with the field of vision in the days after.
It may be a small remnant of the capsule and they are expected to pass within a few days without the need for intervention, but in rare cases they may remain for a longer period.