Who this leaflet is for

This leaflet is for anyone who is recovering from, or is about to undergo, surgery to remove a cataract. The technical term for your operation is a phacoemulsification, which is how your surgeon and other health professionals who are helping you may refer to it. It should be read in conjunction with any other information that you have already been given about your procedure.

The following information is designed to help you make decisions about your recovery. Your surgeon, GP and other healthcare professionals will offer you a lot of very good advice - but ultimately, it’s you that has to make the decisions.

The advice in this leaflet offers broad guidelines for people who do not have any complications with their surgery or other specific medical circumstances, such as a relevant long-term condition.

Obviously, every individual has different needs and recovers in different ways - so not all of the advice in this leaflet will be suitable for everybody. Most patients with cataracts have often retired, but cataracts can occur in younger people. When you are weighing up how to make the decision that’s right for you, talk with your occupational health service at work, if you have one. Otherwise, talk with your GP. Either one will help you to make the right choices for a safe and speedy recovery.