Did you know that, if an individual needs cataract surgery in both eyes, the procedure is typically scheduled on two separate days? Ophthalmologists perform cataract surgery days or weeks apart so that a patient’s eyes have time to stabilize after each procedure.
Visual Problems after Cataract Surgery
It is common for individuals to experience blurred vision immediately after cataract surgery, but this typically subsides within a few days.
Once the eye has healed but before the second procedure has taken place, patients may experience vision imbalance, also known as anisometropia. The patient will experience one eye that can see better than their other eye. This is the result of one eye having been operated on and the other still having cataracts. Anisometropia can cause imbalance, double vision, and difficulty with depth perception.
How to Reduce Vision Imbalance
Whether or not you are experiencing vision imbalance after cataract surgery, it is best to take it easy the first few days after your procedure. Allowing your eyes to rest may reduce the amount of vision imbalance you experience, and it will make your overall recovery much smoother.
How to Deal with Vision Imbalance after Cataract Surgery
If you are still experiencing vision imbalance a few days post-surgery, try seeing if any of your glasses provide relief. Alternatively, you could purchase a cheap pair of reading glasses from the drugstore. While a pair of these glasses aren’t likely to eliminate the imbalance altogether, they may lessen your symptoms. Furthermore, individuals who wear contacts may see if wearing a contact in the eye that wasn’t operated on helps.
If vision imbalance is preventing you from completing daily tasks, consider wearing a patch over the eye that has not yet been operated on. Once your second procedure has been completed, you shouldn’t experience vision loss. If you are still experiencing anisometropia a week after your second surgery, contact your eye doctor.
Cataract Surgery in Austin
Have more questions about cataract surgery or vision imbalance after cataract surgery? The eye doctors at Broberg Eye Care are here to help. Contact us today!