Can you be sedated when have cateracts done ?
You can but honestly it is a simple pain free procedure that only takes about 15 minutes. Much easier than going to the dentist.
I was the second patient on the list and was in and out of the hosptal in 2 1/2 hours and went home on the bus.
Julie, Of course! They take you under only long enough to perform the operation. You will awake with maybe a little vision blurriness but you should feel fine. The recovery is easy except for keeping track of your drop applications!
What they do is called "conscious sedation". You're knocked out (IV) for all intents and purposes, but you're breathing on your own and if somebody yells at you and gives you an instruction, you'll do it. Since I chose toric lenses the doc had to actually mark ON MY EYEBALL the absolute bottom before I was out -- I had to be standing up. The first time felt like an eyelash in my eye. I didn't even feel it when she did the second eye a couple of months later.
This is NOT going to hurt. If you're worried, though, talk to your doc.
OH boy that a loaded ? I have also wondered the same thing.
my first cataract surgery I was sedated. IV in vein to relax me them all I remember is waking in recovery.
Now the other eye needs cataract surgery and I was told that all they do at the eye center is to inject the eye then replace the lense. In reality my response was NO WAY, I asked for medication to take that could be prescribed before surgery. That was a option.
but I never did it yet. I'm a wimp. Willing to go to a different clinc that sedates.
i am not willing to do it just yet. I am looking into prism glasses for now.
Hi Julie
Yes I am sure you can, I wasnt and it didnt bother me but speak to either you GP or the consultants secretary who will advise you
What they did when raised issue was made me read the chart with glasses on saying didn't need , knowing single a driver with no carer and mobility problems Suspect person saw wasn't a free thinking Doctor ignoring the opticians finding - but directed as bought in .
Hi Derek, At last, someone who has had successful surgery, I wrote that I was disappointed that nobody had written to say they had had successful surgery and someone replied that it would be very unlikely because the site really only catered for those who had had problems after surgery, please would you tell us about your successful surgery as it would be such an encouragement to those of us who havnt. First of all I had both eyes done, they both took half an hour, didnt like the procedure to do the ops but it isnt at all painful I have to say that, Im a bit of a wimp, anyway after the first op I had 4 days of extreme pain them my eye was OK, after the second op my eye was sore for quite some time and at its sorest when it was closed so when I went to bed it was very unpleasant as you can imagine, the pain has subsided but I have distored vision down the right hand side of my left eye, also both my eyes, although the sight is good they feel heavy and a little discomfort, I also have a kind of very fine grey web gildes over my eye, this I can deal with but the heavy feeling I have in both eyes isnt nice because it makes me feel lethargic, I am sorry Im going on a bit about this but other are haviong problems and I think its good if people write about whats happening to them and may have similar problems.
I dont know if you can find her on the site she was writing about her problems and they are really very bad, she was 44 I think and from Tennissee, see if you can find it, its really sad.
Regards
Agnes
Usually you will be given the option of no anesthesia, relaxation drugs only, "twilight" sedation, or fully knocked out. Because the eye is numbed, it can be done without anything, but many people prefer something because they are anxious.
I had a cataract removed 3 days ago. I think the final lot of eye-drops given before the op have the effect of numbing feeling in the eye, but you are still able to respond to instuctions and communicate with the nurse by squeezing their hand.
I was surprised to find that all 4 cataract patients had canulas inserted in their arms. I understand this is so the surgeon can give an anaesthetic easily if required. I'm glad to say none of us needed it. For some people, though, having a canula put in can be the most painful and scary part of the whole procedure!
I had a canula taken out and pressure on the area before a bandaid put over it. As I go outside blood starts pouring down my hand.
Julie
You certainly can. I has my first cataract operation under a general anaesthetic 7 days ago under the NHS (I'm in the UK). I was particularly nrevous about freaking out and having pacick attack during the procedure. The GA takes all the worry away and to be honest is also better for the surgeon carying out the procedure. They can in many respects do a better job without having to be concerned about the patients conscious wellbeing. General aneasthetics nowadays are much advanced and gentler on the body. You will know nothing of the process and will feel fine after a nice cup of tea and a few bisuits.
Hi Mike, did you have one eye or two eyes done and how have they been since the operation, please can you give me a run down on what happened after the op ie, did you have eye shields, was there any pain, many thanks if you can. Were you in England or Scotland
Regards Agnes
Hi Agnes, I had just my right eye done on the 19th Jan 2017 under GA at a local NHS hospotal in England. I was discharged with an eye sheild and told to keep this on overnight and the wash it the next day and wear as night time protection for 2 weeks. A week in and I have stopped wareing this at night as it interferes with my sleep and feels very uncomfortable. I have had and still do have pain. Not bad pain, more of an ache in the eyball really and in the temple. I would also say that my eye feels sore. This is very variable and there appears to be no pattern. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all and then I may notice later soreness or pain or aching which will wear off later that same day. I find ibuprofen helps with the pain. Regarding the vision, this too is variable. Some days there appears to be no improvement while other days things seem very clear and much improved. Again there is no pattern as such.
Hi Mike, I know exactly what you are going through, it is still early days, this isnt much encouragement but my first eye was done June 2016 and I had excruciating pain for 4 days it was caused by pressure which they gave me tablets for, the pain settled, my eye was uncomfortable for some days but then settled down, the pain for the first 4 days made me decide not to have my other eye done, they dont do your second eye until the 4 weeks of drops are over, by that time my eye was OK. Got the second one done Aug 2016, again for 5 days dreadful pain, I had distorted vision down the left side of the eye, I had floaters, I had for quite a long time pain in the lower right hand corner of the second eye which was at it worst when I closed my eye which was of course when trying to sleep, not a good feeling and interfered with trying to get to sleep, I also have a heavy and a gritty feeling in my eyes, Oh Mike apparently I have just been one of the unlucky ones, well there are a load of them on this site, On the up side for me my vision is good, I am having to put up with all the other side effects and as long as my sight is OK I will get by.
Please let us know if your symptoms subside, have you asked why you are having pain, there must be a reason and they could probably do something about it, the opticians are very good, mine was excellent, he said the pain in my lower left eye was where the surgeon had made the incision to access the cataract, as I said its quite early days yet for you, wondered if you have finished all your drops, I had Chlorphenicol for one week then Maxidex for 4 weeks then had to take the form they gave me after the op to the optician.
I was never given eye shields for either eye and can understand how uncomfortable that would be, I can understand why they recommend them, I banged my eye in my sleep and I also rubbed it very hard while I was sleeping, whether whats wrong with me now is a consequence I dont know. I dont want to go back to the GP or the clinic as I cant stand them messing about with my eyes so am living with my symptoms.
Again if your pain isnt easing up you should have it seen to, sorry I have gone on a bit again but if there is any little bit that a help, thats good and it may be that there might be something that I have mentioned that is significant to others
I had my eyes done in a NHS Hospital in Scotland
Please let us know how you get on and how your eyes are
Regards Agnes
Hi Agnes. Things are not really improving as such but not any worse either. As you say, it is very early days for me isn't it so I should not worry too much. I have asked the hospital where I had this done about the pain and they do not seem concerned and seem to think that some pain and soreness is expected. The also said that the ghosting I am seeing is normal and I have indeed spoken to someone else who has had this op and they too have experienced the ghosting for around a month. I do understand that the eye takes around a month to heal completely so and pain or soreness during this period wuold seem normal along with visual sysmptoms not quite settling down. I think that for myself the time to be concerned would be after a month has passed and there is no more pain but visually I am still seeing the ghosting, or, that the pain continues into month 2 and beyond either with or without any visual sysmptoms.
Hi Mike, It is such a worry and you are right it is quite extensive surgery to such a delicate and sensitive part of the body, I would expect there to be pain and I too found that the hospital were surprised that I had pain, and not interested to find out why I was having pain, I had pain for over the 4 weeks but its kind of gone, Is you pain in both eyes and how would you describe it, I could live with the very small bit of pain that I get sometimes, its on the bottom inside right of my left eye, the optician said it was where the surgeon entered to remove the cataract, all the other symptoms that I have Im having to live with but as long as my sight is OK I prepared for that, I get very slight ghosting, its like a very fine haze but again I can live with that, is yours worse, how would you describe it, this is helpful to others who may have similar symptoms. Wish there was a page that those who have had successful surgery would post how it was for them and what they were like after the op, this would be so interesting to know.
Regards Agnes
I had a cataract 'op' on my left eye in November 2017 with no sedation and no canula in the back of the hand thank goodness.
I was apprehensive as I wondered how I could lie still long enough.
In the event I had no problem. There was absolutely no pain and in 15-20 minutes I was having tea and biscuits. Sent home with dressing and eyeshade which I removed the next morning. No pain nor even the slightest discomfort afterwards.
I was amazed at the improvement in my vision and can now almost read the last line on the Chart. I am now legally allowed to drive.
A lot of eyedrops for the following 4 weeks and I was prescribed extra anti-inflammatories as I am currently receiving eye injections for AMD.
One slight disappointment though is that I have negative photopsia which means a dark 'frame' appears at the extreme left of my vision . This may mean I am seeing the edge of the new lens. It doesn't interfere with my vision but I am aware of it now and then. It is not known why this sometimes happens but I am told it may resolve itself or my brain will adjust to it. Even so I am so glad I had the cataract done.
Hi Marion, thank you for your positive post, this will be so encouraging to those about to have surgery, I wrote that it would be so good to hear from those who had had successful ops and yours is so good to read. Everything that you said was so encouraging, I wasnt to lucky and were others on this site. Hope that the dark frame eventually goes but as you said you could probably live with it or perhaps laset surgery would work.
Please let us know how you are and if you get rid of the dark frame
Regards Agnes
Sorry not sure if this should have been sent to Marion or Julie