Cataract surgery involves removing the eyes' natural lenses and replacing those lenses with artificial lenses. The procedure is one that cuts deep into the centers of one's eyes, so the surgeon has to be very careful with the procedure. Nowadays most of the cataract surgeries are typically performed using lasers so that the eyes heal faster and there is significantly less scarring and less chance of infection. After a cataract surgery, you are usually given single dose cataract surgery steroids to prevent inflammation until the corneal tissues have had time to seal up over the irises and new lenses of your eyes.
What you may not be aware of is the fact that these same steroids are given to people who have laser eye surgery to improve their vision. Some of the reasons why the doctor may prescribe the same steroids for cataract surgery and laser eye surgery are the same. If you are having laser eye surgery and you are prescribed cataract steroids, here is why your doctor wants you to fill and use this medication.
Reducing Post-Surgery Inflammation of the Eye Tissues Is Extremely Important
Steroids are the fastest route to reducing inflammation. Since the human eye responds to anything in it as a foreign body, the scratchy feeling you have from the corneal flap made prior to the laser reshaping your eye is not going to stop. If you rub it, it will damage your eye. Swelling and possibly infection will ensue. Ergo, your eye surgeon wants you to fill the steroid script for a topical optical application of the steroids to reduce inflammation to null and reduce any discomfort you feel from the corneal flap. The flaps on both corneas will seal over in just a couple of days, but the flaps need time to seal without eye swelling and irritation.
Preventing the Swelling That Can Occur with Laser Eye Surgery Helps the Eyes Heal Faster
As you might be aware, a laser that uses quick, short bursts to reshape the eye also causes the eye to swell. That really is true of any surgery, but where the eyes are concerned you definitely do not want post-surgery swelling. The swelling can prevent the clean edges of the corneal flaps from meeting properly, and healing takes much longer than expected. The use of the cataract steroids reduces the swelling so that the edges of the corneal flaps meet perfectly, and healing begins almost immediately.
