How Is Surgery Performed If I Have Cataracts On Both My Eyes, And How Does That Change The Recovery Period?

Aug. 24, 2009— -- Question: How is surgery performed if I have cataracts on both my eyes, and how does that change the recovery period?

Answer: Cataracts are never performed on both eyes at the same sitting. We do typically the worse of the two cataracts initially, and we want to see the patient the day after surgery and certainly a week after surgery and make a decision as to whether the second cataract is, in fact, interfering with their daily activities. If it is and it is recommended that a person have surgery, the second eye can be done within two to three weeks after the first one is done.

There is no rush, but it is routine that for rehabilitation the second one can be done that soon. Other patients who are not terribly symptomatic or not in any rush the other eye can be done at any point -- whether it's weeks or months following the first eye. They heal independently, but typically if we're doing both, they're both well-healed and finalized within, say, two months.