Is cataract surgery painful? What it's really like

It is the first thing almost everyone asks me, and it is a fair question. The honest answer is reassuring: cataract surgery is essentially painless.

Here is what actually happens. Before we begin, your eye is numbed thoroughly with anaesthetic drops, and in the great majority of cases no injection is needed at all. You stay awake, but you feel no pain. Most people are surprised by how gentle it is.

What you will and won’t feel

You won’t feel cutting or pain. You will be aware of a soft light, and perhaps a sensation of cool water or mild pressure around the eye. That is all, just changing lights and shapes, nothing alarming to see. The surgery itself usually takes about ten to fifteen minutes for a straightforward cataract.

Afterwards, once the numbness wears off, the eye can feel a little gritty or watery, as though there is sand in it, for a day or so. That settles quickly. We give you drops, clear written instructions, and our number, so there is always someone to ask.

Why people fear it more than they need to

Most of the fear comes from the idea of being awake while something is done to the eye. I understand that completely. But being awake is not the same as being in pain, the eye is fully numb, and your only job is to lie comfortably and look towards the light. Many patients tell me afterwards that a visit to the dentist felt worse.

The part that matters most

A comfortable surgery is not the goal in itself, clear, safe vision is. That comes from careful measurement beforehand, an unhurried procedure, and follow-up with the same surgeon who operated. If you have been putting off cataract surgery because you are frightened of the pain, let that worry go, and come and talk it through.

If a cataract is affecting your daily life, book a consultation or message us on WhatsApp. The surgeon who examines you is the one who performs your surgery.