For those with cataracts, the world is a cloudy place where there are a variety of difficulties on a day-to-day basis. Cataract sufferers experience everything from dim vision to glare, fog, and film—rendering clear sight unattainable and making otherwise normal activities such as driving a tremendous challenge. Cataract surgery is often the most effective means for dealing with this common vision challenge and can correct vision within just a matter of days.

If you are considering cataract surgery, here are a few things to know:

• How it works. During surgery, the eye will be numbed and a small incision made in the side of the cornea. The surgeon will then insert a tiny instrument through the incision through which high-frequency ultrasound will travel to break up the cloudy lens that has been impacted by the cataract. The lens will then be removed. Following this, an intraocular lens (IOL) implant will be inserted in place of the removed lens. This is made from silicone or acrylic and will become a permanent part of your eye. Light is now able to pass freely and clearly through the lens.
• What expect following surgery. Cataract surgery is done on an outpatient basis which means that you will be able to go home a few hours following surgery. As with most procedures, recovery differs from person to person but most people report little discomfort and the ability to resume normal activities within a few days. In fact, most patients experience an immediate improvement in their sight. You will follow up with your eye surgeon the day after surgery to ensure that your healing is going as expected.
• Post-operative possibilities. Some cataract surgery patients experience what is called a secondary cataract—or after cataract—during which the capsule of the eye, the part in which the intraocular lens sits, becomes cloudy itself. If this happens, a secondary procedure is performed. This is a one-minute procedure called a posterior capsulotomy and completely and permanently rectifies this issue.

Cataracts don’t need to continue to compromise your vision. Cataract surgery offers a fast, comfortable method for improving eyesight.