Cataract Surgery — Patient Preparation Guide
Everything you need to know about cataract surgery — when to operate, choice of intraocular lens (IOL), how the procedure is done at Finland Eye Center, recovery, and post-operative care.
Important Information
Please read this guide carefully and follow your doctor's instructions, which come first if they differ from this guide. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact our medical team.
Before Surgery
Important preparation steps
What is a cataract?
A cataract is the clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye. It is not always a disease — most often it is an aging process of the lens. Cataracts can also be congenital, traumatic, or secondary to chronic conditions like diabetes or medications such as steroids. Practically every person will develop a cataract at some stage in life, which makes cataract surgery the most commonly performed eye operation worldwide.
When should a cataract be operated on?
At present, the only effective treatment for a cataract is surgical removal of the cloudy lens. There is no medication that can cure a cataract.
- A cataract can be operated at any time after diagnosis, whether or not it already affects your vision
- Ideally it should be operated sooner rather than later — early surgery is safer for the patient
- Highly mature cataracts not only impair vision but can also raise surgical risk and complication rates and may mask other eye problems (especially retinal conditions)
- In some cases — high eye pressure (glaucoma), hyper-mature cataract, or congenital cataract — prompt surgical intervention is required
How is the surgery done?
Cataract surgery is a routinely performed procedure worldwide and at Finland Eye Center. The technique is chosen based on your individual needs and your surgeon's assessment.
- The most common method at Finland Eye Center is phacoemulsification: a small incision is made through which the surgeon accesses the cataract, breaks it into smaller pieces with ultrasonic vibration, and removes them through the same incision
- For very mature cataracts a larger incision called ECCE may be needed, where the lens is extracted as one piece
- A clear artificial lens (intraocular lens or IOL) is then inserted into the same capsule that held the natural lens
- Sutures may or may not be needed depending on the incision
- Anaesthesia options include topical (drops only), local injection, or general anaesthesia — your surgeon will choose the safest for you
Which type of intraocular lens (IOL) is best?
Several types are available:
- Monofocal — sharp focus at one distance (usually far). You will still need glasses for reading
- Monofocal toric — corrects pre-existing corneal astigmatism while giving a single focal distance
- Multifocal — gives clear vision for both far and near. Allows most patients to be glasses-independent
- Multifocal toric — combines multifocal optics with astigmatism correction
- Accommodating — lens shifts subtly to give a range of focus
- Intermediate-distance IOL — the latest addition, optimised for arm-length tasks (computer, dashboard)
The IOL is chosen for each patient based on age, lifestyle, eye anatomy, and any other eye conditions. With a regular monofocal IOL you will need glasses for either near or far. At Finland Eye Center we introduce patients to multifocal IOL options that allow most people to be glasses-independent for both distances. Toric IOLs are recommended for patients with astigmatism.
Preparation before the procedure
- Your surgeon will perform a complete eye examination, including measurements to calculate your IOL power
- Inform your doctor of all medications you take (especially blood thinners, alpha-blockers like tamsulosin, and diabetes medications)
- Inform your doctor of any chronic conditions, previous eye surgeries, or current pregnancy / breastfeeding
- Eye drops or treatment of any underlying eye condition may be prescribed before the operation
- Arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery — you should not drive yourself
- Wear comfortable clothing without tight collars on the day of surgery
- Eat a light meal beforehand unless your anaesthetic plan requires fasting (your team will tell you)
What to bring on the day
- Your ID and insurance card
- A list of all current medications
- Sunglasses for the journey home
- Any prescribed eye drops you have already started
- A companion to drive you home
- Comfortable clothing — easy on/off shirt is ideal
During Surgery
What happens during the procedure
What happens during the procedure
Cataract surgery is performed in our surgical suite. You will lie down on a special bed with a head-rest. The skin around the eye is cleaned with antiseptic and a sterile drape is placed.
Step-by-step
- Numbing drops (or a local injection) are used so that most patients feel little or no pain
- A lid speculum is placed between the eyelids to keep your eye open
- You will be awake and may see lights, shapes, and movements during the procedure — this is normal
- The surgeon makes a tiny incision in the cornea (typically 2–3 mm)
- An ultrasonic probe (phacoemulsification) breaks the cataract into small pieces and gently removes them — you may hear a soft humming sound
- For very mature cataracts a larger ECCE incision may be used and the lens is removed as one piece
- The artificial intraocular lens (IOL) is folded and inserted through the same incision; it unfolds into the correct position inside the lens capsule
- Depending on the incision type, sutures may or may not be needed
- A protective eye shield is placed over the eye at the end
The entire surgery typically takes 15–30 minutes. You will not feel pain — at most you may feel pressure or see lights. The surgical team will be in constant communication with you.
After Surgery
Care and recovery
Immediately after the procedure
A protective eye shield will be placed on your eye and removed at the next-day follow-up. You will be escorted to a recovery room to rest before going home.
- You will need someone to drive you home — do not drive yourself
- A foreign-body sensation, mild redness, or watering for the first few days is normal and harmless
- Mild glare, halos, or glistening of lights at night may also appear initially
Eye drops schedule
Follow the schedule given to you exactly:
- Vigamox (antibiotic) — 4 times a day for 1 week
- Pred Forte (anti-inflammatory steroid) — 4 times a day for 1 month
- Wait at least 10 minutes between each different drop
Daily activity timeline
Day of surgery:
- Wear the protective shield as directed
- Rest at home — avoid bending forward and lifting heavy items
- You can pray sitting on a chair without bending forward (no Sujood for the first week)
Day 1 after surgery (follow-up day):
- The shield is removed and your eye examined
- You can wash your face with water (avoid getting soap or water directly into the eye)
- You can use mobile phones and watch TV
First week:
- Wear the goggles during sleep to avoid accidental rubbing
- Use sunglasses outdoors
- Do not bend forward or lift heavy objects
- Pray sitting on a chair — no Sujood (prostration)
- Avoid washing hair with soap and getting water in the eye
- Avoid driving, especially at night
- Do not sit indoors with bukhur or strong perfumes
After 1 week:
- You can shower normally
- You may resume Sujood
- Most office workers can return to work
- Heavy manual or dusty work may need a longer sick leave
After 1 month:
- Stop the Pred Forte taper as advised by your surgeon
- You can use eye make-up
- You can resume swimming (sea or pool)
- You can stop using the goggles at night
- Sauna and steam rooms allowed again
Follow-up visits
All of these are included in your cataract package at Finland Eye Center:
- Day 1 after surgery — protective shield removed, eye examined
- 1 week
- 1 month
- 3 months
Additional visits may be scheduled depending on individual recovery.
Possible risks and complications
Most complications are rare and treatable. Studies suggest a small percentage of patients experience complications that need further procedures.
- Foreign-body sensation, redness, watering for the first few days — usually resolves quickly
- Glare, halos, glistening at night — may persist for days to weeks
- Glasses or laser "touch-up" may still be needed depending on IOL choice
- Posterior capsular opacification — clouding of the capsule that held the IOL. Treated easily in clinic with a quick laser procedure called YAG capsulotomy, often within months/years after the original surgery
- Residual cataract fragment(s) — rare; may need a second surgical session within a week
- Failure to implant the IOL during surgery — rare; would require a secondary surgery
- Other pre-existing conditions like glaucoma, corneal scarring, retinal disease, or amblyopia may limit the visual outcome — we explain this clearly before surgery
- Secondary glaucoma — high eye pressure may need topical treatment and rarely surgery
- Corneal decompensation — the cornea may swell, especially in mature cataracts; sometimes needs a corneal graft if it doesn't resolve
- Pupil-related complications if pupil-expanding devices are needed (iris sphincter tear, irregular pupil, photophobia, diplopia)
- Retinal detachment — rare. Cystoid macular oedema — usually resolves within 6 months
- Endophthalmitis (intraocular infection) — very rare; requires immediate admission. The most common causes are dirty eyelids/lashes
- Expulsive haemorrhage — extremely rare; can lead to vision loss
- Anaesthesia-related risks — bleeding behind/around the eye, optic-nerve compression, eye-muscle injury, globe perforation (all very rare)
Since everyone develops a cataract sooner or later, the earlier it is operated the lower the risks and side-effects, and the longer you wait the more difficult the surgery becomes.
When to call your surgeon urgently
- Severe pain that does not respond to pain medication
- Sudden drop or loss of vision
- Increasing redness, light sensitivity, or thick discharge
- Eye injury (rubbing, hit, or scratch)
- Persistent severe headache or nausea
A note on the process
Cataract surgery involves several steps from pre-operative examination, through anaesthesia and the surgery itself, to post-operative care and follow-up. Each step requires care and co-operation from everyone involved. While every effort is made to ensure successful surgery, it is important to make an informed decision before signing the consent form.
Questions?
Book a consultation or speak with one of our specialists at any of our four branches in Muscat, Sohar, Salalah, or Nizwa. Book your appointment online.