Cataract Procedure

Cataract surgery is performed on an outpatient basis at Sentara Leigh Hospital's Ambulatory Surgery Center or at the Surgery Center of Chesapeake. You will be at the chosen facility for about three hours, however the actual cataract surgery takes about 15 to 30 minutes. Only one eye is done at a time. If both eyes have a cataract, we will schedule two different surgery dates for you, one for each eye. You will be lightly sedated and your eye anesthetized so you can feel comfortable during surgery. However, you will still be awake during the procedure.

During cataract surgery your doctor uses a small ultrasound instrument to break up the cataract and gently remove it from the eye. All this is done through a tiny incision, which usually requires no stitches. In replacement of the natural lens/cataract that has been removed, an intraocular lens (IOL) is permanently implanted inside the eye.

A friend or family member will need to bring you in, stay, and take you home the day of surgery.

The healing eye needs time to adjust so that it may focus properly. You may return to some normal activities the next day. Your vision may be blurry for a couple of days afterward with complete visual recovery expected within several weeks.