01. Question: Can I get my cataract surgery done during the summers or rainy season?
Answer: Cataract or other surgeries on the eye can be performed at any time of the year. The weather conditions (heat or humidity or excessive cold) have no effect whatsoever on the outcome or performance of the surgical procedure.
02. Question: My cataract has not matured yet. Should I be considering surgery at the moment?
Answer: Cataract surgery can be performed anytime when it causes difficulty in vision. The concept of a cataract reaching the stage of maturity (or becoming ripe) is a very old one, and dates back about thirty years to the 1980s when surgery used to be performed manually with large incisions, and required stitches. In present times, cataract surgery is generally stitch-less. It is actually best to get a cataract operated before the stage of maturity. The surgery at this stage is easier to perform, and much less likely to cause complications.
03. Question: I got my left eye operated for cataract last week, and since then have been sitting in a dark room away from light. For how much more time do I need to avoid light?
Answer: Visible light does not harm the eyes after cataract surgery. One can sit in a normally lit room, and even watch television and use computers. Dark glasses after surgery are usually meant for protection against dust and injury.
04. Question: I’m a thirty-year-old woman and wear spectacles since the last 15 years. My spectacle number is -3. Can I get rid of my number by eating healthy food, or with medicines?
Answer: It is not possible to reduce or eliminate ones refractive error (“number”) by any dietary supplement or medicines. Green leafy vegetables, carrots and other food products are otherwise healthy for your eyes, but they do not help in reducing the number. It can only be removed or reduced by refractive surgery like LASIK.
05. Question: I have a twelve-year-old daughter who wears spectacles since the last four years. Her number has changed twice. What can I do to make sure that it does not change again?
Answer: Children usually grow physically till the age of 18-19 years. Physical growth of the body is accompanied by growth of the eyes, and this is responsible for a change in number of spectacles. It is, therefore, not possible to stop the number from changing. However, in most people, it stabilizes by 18 or 19 years of age.
06. Question: I’m a diabetic patient since the last ten years. Is it possible for me to undergo cataract surgery?
Answer: Yes, diabetic patients can safely undergo cataract surgery provided the blood sugar levels are under control.
07. Question: My diabetes is well under control with medicines and exercise. Can my eyes still get affected by diabetes?
Answer: Diabetes can affect the retina of the eyes, causing what is technically known as Diabetic Retinopathy. It can happen with well-controlled sugar levels as well. So regular check-ups, especially for the retina, are mandatory for all diabetics.
08. Question: I work on my laptop for 8 to 10 hours a day. What can do to prevent it from reducing my eyesight?
Answer: Excessive use of computers does not reduce one’s eyesight. It can merely cause problems like dryness of eyes, redness, watering, eyestrain or headaches (Computer Vision Syndrome). To avoid such issues, maintain a proper distance from the screen, use a comfortable level of brightness, take short breaks while working for long periods, and maintain a good posture.
09. Question: My father lost his eyesight a couple of years ago due to glaucoma. Can an eye transplant restore his vision?
Answer: An eye transplant principally refers to a corneal transplant, where the front part of the eye, the cornea, is replaced. The entire eye is never transplanted/replaced. So this is helpful only when vision is affected by corneal disease. Eyesight once lost due to glaucoma cannot be restored.
10. Question: I’m a perfectly healthy individual with no problems with my eyesight. Do I still need regular eye checkups?
Answer: Many conditions that affect the eye, like glaucoma, have no symptoms at all, and are detected incidentally on routine examination. Regular eye checkups help to diagnose such problems early, so that adequate treatment measures can be taken timely, which may help minimize loss of vision.
11. Question: My brother recently developed “eye-flu”. Will the infection spread to me if I look directly into his eyes?
Answer: An “eye-flu”, technically termed “Conjunctivitis” is an infection of the outer part of the eye, the Conjunctiva. Infection usually spreads by infected discharge, through dirty hands, handkerchiefs or other objects, through touch. Looking at an infected eye does not spread the infection.
12. Question: Does sitting close to the television damage one’s eyesight?
Answer: Sitting at a very close distance to the television set may cause eyestrain and headache, but is not known to damage the eyes or cause deterioration of vision. Sitting close and watching, however, may be a symptom of myopia or near-sightedness.