FAQ

In most cases, patients are able to resume their normal activities within 24 to 48 hours after surgery. The combination of no-stitch surgery with foldable implants and topical anesthesia allows patients to recover their vision much more quickly than with older techniques. Eyedrops are used to reduce the risks of infection and inflammation during the first month after surgery.

As with any surgical procedure, cataract surgery involves risks, including, but not limited to: infection, swelling of the retina (cystoid macular edema), retinal detachment, injury to the cornea, and even blindness. We go to extraordinary lengths to minimize these risks, but this is why we do not operate on everyone with cataracts. The decision to have cataract surgery is always an individual one, and in each case we weigh the risk/benefit ratio to determine if cataract surgery is appropriate for you.

In special instances, multifocal intraocular lenses can be implanted to give good vision without glasses off in the distance and up close after cataract surgery. Multifocal implants do have their drawbacks, however, and these include glare, halos (especially when driving at night), and reduced contrast sensitivity. Talk with Dr. Schulze to find out if you are a good candidate for a multifocal implant. See www.prelex.com for more information about multifocal implants.

As with refractive surgery, we try to reduce your dependence on glasses and contact lenses after cataract surgery. We use computers to help calculate the power of your intraocular lens so that the glasses you wear after surgery will usually be thinner and have fewer optical aberrations such as glare or distortion. Although many patients are able to function without glasses, most patients will find that they need glasses for near vision, distant vision, or both after cataract surgery.

Our goal with any type of refractive surgery is to reduce your dependence on glasses or contact lenses. Some patients like to wear glasses for special tasks such as reading or driving at night after surgery. After the age of 40, everyone, regardless of whether they are nearsighted, farsighted, or have astigmatism, will need glasses to help with near vision for reading and close up work. . The surgery cannot turn back the clock on the normal aging processes of the eye (called presbyopia) that weaken near vision. Patients under the age of 40 are often able to function entirely without glasses, but remember that the surgery is designed to correct only the refractive error for distant vision. If you have successfully worn contact lenses for monovision in the past, talk with Dr. Schulze, Jr. about achieving monovision with refractive surgery.

Once your eye heals after LASIK or PRK, you will be able to participate in all sports and activities that you enjoyed before surgery. After LASIK, we ask that you wait at least 48 hours before participating in any strenuous activity, and we recommend that you wear eye protection such as sports goggles for any contact or racket sports where your eye may be likely to come in contact with fingers, dirt, balls, etc.

Only rarely do insurance plans cover refractive surgery. Check with your health plan before your visit with Dr. Schulze, Jr. to see if yours covers LASIK or PRK.

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks involved with LASIK and PRK. Although blindness through infection or scarring is theoretically possible, the risk of this is extremely low. During your consultation with Dr. Schulze, Jr., you will have the opportunity to review all the potential risks, as well as benefits, of the procedure.

During surgery, there is no pain with either LASIK or PRK because numbing drops are used to keep the eye comfortable. After LASIK, a scratchy foreign body sensation similar to an ill-fitting contact lens is often present; this tends to resolve in most cases after about 24 hours. After PRK, bandage contact lenses are used to minimize pain, but some patients do experience significant pain requiring the use of strong oral pain medications.

After LASIK, most patients recover useful vision within 24 hours of their surgery. After PRK, visual recovery typically takes longer: usually a few days to a few weeks after surgery.