This short series of diaries explores my personal journey back to good vision after developing cataracts. The first diary had some definitions and explained how my vision changed over the past few years. I took you along on my first visit with my eye surgeon and talked about some of the decisions I had to make prior to surgery. The second diary discussed preoperative preparations and included a video of an actual cataract surgery.
The topic of this diary is the actual surgery itself, completed three days ago.
Day of Surgery
I arrived at the Wright Eye Center at 12:20 Wednesday afternoon, accompanied by a friend. Already pre-registered, check-in was a snap. The clerk retrieved my chart, placed an ID band on my wrist after asking me to verify the information, gave me a sheet of data to read about the drops that would be used in my eye, and accepted my checks for copays for the surgeon and facility. She also verified that I had not eaten anything for at least six hours or had anything to drink for three hours. (Every surgical facility has different requirements.)
After a short wait, a nurse took me into a patient area. My vital signs were taken, pertinent medical information was verified, and - after having me verify which eye was to be operated on - she placed a small round sticker over my right eye. Three medications were instilled in my right eye and I returned to the waiting room for a few minutes while my eye dilated. In five minutes I was returned to the patient area for another drop, then waited another short while until a nurse in surgical garb escorted me to the preop holding area.
I donned a surgical gown over my street clothes and got onto the gurney. Another round of identification, vital signs, and drops followed, then monitors for heart rate, respirations, and oxygen saturation were applied. A nurse started an IV access site, causing my only complaint about the entire procedure. The standard of care for IV placement requires the site be numbed with a tiny injection of subcutaneous lidocaine before inserting the needle and cannula into a vein. I've had it done both ways many, many times, so I know how much less painful the procedure is when lidocaine is used first. Most outpatient surgical facilities comply with the standard of care, but many do not, and Nurse Kelley became a difficult patient, insisting that the IV not be started in my hand if they wouldn't use lidocaine first. I told the nurse to start my IV in the arm or elbow ... which she did.
The nurse anesthetist made his rounds, doing the whole identification process again. When I agreed (now for the third or fourth time) that my right eye was the operative eye, he removed the sticker and made a mark over my right eye with a permanent marker. A nurse cleaned the entire area with some sort of iodine preparation, put tape over my left eye, applied an oxygen cannula, moved my gurney into the operating room, and a combination of Versed and Fentanyl was given through my IV. That's the last thing I remember before waking up in postop.
The drugs used for "conscious sedation" have a short half-life. I was awake and alert enough to leave in approximately thirty minutes, my eye protected with a clear plastic shield and sun glasses. It was not quite 3:00 PM when I settled in the passenger seat for the (long) drive home. My discharge instructions required me to begin using antibiotic and steroid drops every two hours for the the first day, to leave the eye shield on the first day, and to sleep with the shield on for one week.
What about pain, you ask? I noticed a slight stinging with the first two rounds of drops, then nothing. My eye wasn't even bloodshot. Amazing! I had a meal, drank tons of fluids, emailed a few anxious friends, and took a nap.
First Day Post-op
How to describe an eye newly rid of a cataract? I have been nearsighted since the age of ten, so I wasn't surprised at the wonder of being able to see clearly through my right eye. Don't get me wrong ~ clear vision after decades without it is ridiculously exciting. What surprised me was the amount of light I could now see. I had always believed that cataracts cause a clouding of the lens ... and they do. What I hadn't read about, but have since heard about from others who've had the surgery, is that the lens also changes color, with an effect similar to wearing amber colored sun glasses. This darkening is so gradual that patients aren't even aware of it until the lens is removed. I can't wait to have the other eye repaired!
When the natural lens is removed from its protective sac and the new IOL is placed therein, in takes time for the IOL to adhere to the sac. I am aware of the outer edge of the IOL as light reflects off of it. Hopefully, this distraction will disappear soon.
My discharge instructions were to see my local optometrist the day after surgery, so I drove up our mountain highway a few miles to his office at noon. While the right lens in my glasses - a progressive lens - is still needed for reading and computer work, I drove for the first time in my life without glasses. Yippy-skippy! One day after surgery my new bionic eye has 20/20 distance vision! The pressure in it is elevated from surgery, but not enough to require intervention. I'll see the optometrist again next Tuesday, just before having my left eye repaired Wednesday morning.
Second Day Post-op
My biggest "complaint" is with the eye shield I'm supposed to wear at night for a week. I anchor it with two thin strips of paper tape before going to bed, making it impossible to read because my glasses don't fit over the shield. Also, I am allergic to adhesive tape, and even the milder paper tape is leaving burns on the delicate skin on my face. I try to anchor the tape in different places every night, but I can tell this is going to be a long week. I continue to use both eye drops four times every day, as ordered, and today I picked up the bottle of antibiotic drops I'll start using in my left eye on Monday.
What else is there to talk about?
After my second surgery I'll get into the fun people have playing with their glasses and drugstore "cheaters" while their eyes heal enough to determine the final required prescription, if any. I'll tell you what all this costs. Finally, if I have any unexpected complications we'll cover those.
It's your turn for questions and comments.♥