When is it Safe to Drive After Cataract Surgery?

Dr. Daniel Tepper is a board-certified ophthalmologist who has helped scores of patients excel at their daily duties and favorite activities via the sight-clearing benefits of cataract surgery. Cataracts, an age-related clouding of the eye’s lens, can gradually steal one’s vision and cause cloudiness that hinders everyday tasks. However, you can fight back and regain your eyesight by contacting us at Wickerpark Eye Center and scheduling a consultation in Chicago, IL!

How do cataracts form, and how are they removed?

Cataracts are one of the world’s most common conditions and the number one cause of blindness globally. This age-related condition is classified as the clouding of your eye’s natural lens, which must be clear to allow incoming light to pass through unimpeded and reach the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eye. But for patients over the age of 40, the proteins within the lens may begin to break down.

These broken-down proteins clump together, and the resultant clumps cloud the lens. An obscured lens means obscured vision, and those with cataracts slowly lose more and more of their sight as cataracts grow larger. Proper eye care, detailed by our experienced eye doctors, could help slow the formation of cataracts. However, since age and deterioration of body tissues are the primary drivers of this too-common condition, it may be inevitable for many individuals.

Fortunately, the treatment for cataracts is remarkably well-practiced and has restored vision to countless patients over the previous decades. Cataract surgery requires a tiny incision on the eye’s outermost part, the cornea, through which we can access your cataracts.

We then remove them, along with your natural but clouded lens, before replacing that defunct lens with a synthetic version, an intraocular lens. Using an advanced femtosecond laser to perform the procedure means a much-improved outcome for you, with better results and a quicker recovery.

When is it safe to drive after cataract surgery?

Just because you’ll have to wait a day or so after your cataract surgery to resume driving doesn’t mean your vision won’t be instantly improved. In fact, patients can enjoy significantly clearer sight immediately following their procedure at Wickerpark Eye Center. Because once we clear your cataracts, your new IOL provides perfect clarity. It will also be immune to the formation of future cataracts since it’s made of a synthetic material that’s durable and long-lasting.

Some patients can also reduce or get rid of their reliance on visual aids, such as glasses or contact lenses. Because in addition to newfound clarity, we offer a variety of premium IOL options that can resolve numerous visual impairments, including refractive disorders such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, or presbyopia (age-related vision loss).

The after-effects may last a little longer, and as your eyes heal over the coming week, you may notice blurriness for a few days. Your new lens may take a bit of getting used to, so we recommend taking some time away from regular activities and work. Typically, discomfort should have dissipated within a week, and your vision will continue to improve.

Contact us today to explore a life-changing cataract surgery

Why suffer the life-hampering consequences of cataracts when treatment can be just a phone call or message away? Our board-certified ophthalmologist Dr. Daniel Tepper would love to restore your vision so you can be the best version of yourself. Cataract surgery offers a time-tested, safe, and effective option — simply get in touch with us today at Wickerpark Eye Center for better vision in Chicago, IL!