If you are considering correcting your vision or you have been told that you have cataracts, you may be wondering whether you can have surgery on both eyes on the same day. The answer is dependent upon several factors, including the type of surgery you are having and the complexity of your case.
Keep reading to learn more about which surgeries can be performed on both eyes on the same day and which ones should be completed on one eye at a time.
Common Same-Day Eye Surgeries
When both eyes are operated on at the same time, it is called simultaneous bilateral eye surgery. This approach offers significant advantages: greater convenience with fewer appointments, less time away from work or daily activities, a faster overall recovery, and elimination of vision imbalances between eyes.
Laser vision correction surgeries, such as LASIK, PRK, and ICL, are typically performed as simultaneous bilateral procedures. These minimally invasive surgeries take just a few minutes per eye to complete.
While patients can’t drive themselves home afterward, most experience noticeably clearer vision within a day or two. The procedures also carry a low risk of complications that could lead to vision issues.
Other eye surgeries often performed on the same day include blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) and strabismus surgery, which corrects muscle imbalances in people with eye misalignment. Another procedure called Refractive Lensectomy (RLE) is a lens-based surgery that is usually performed bilaterally on the same day.
What are the Benefits of Same-Day Surgeries?
For many patients, there are significant benefits to having surgery on both eyes at the same time. These benefits include:
- Fewer appointments: Simultaneous bilateral eye surgeries require fewer appointments, so that treatment takes up less time in patients’ busy schedules.
- Reduced recovery times: When eyes are operated on together, there is only one period of recovery, reducing a patient’s downtime.
- Maintains bilateral vision: Correcting the vision of both eyes at the same time helps ensure the stability of clear vision in both eyes.
Eye Surgeries That are Performed Separately
While some surgeries are routinely performed on both eyes at the same time, most eye surgeons recommend that other surgeries be performed separately. There are several reasons for doing this, including maintaining functional vision and optimizing outcomes.
Cataract surgery, the most commonly-performed eye surgery in the US, is almost always performed on one eye at a time. Taking a break between each eye allows eye surgeons to monitor healing, evaluate vision outcomes, and adjust treatment plans for the second eye, if required.
It can take some time for a patient’s vision to stabilize after cataract surgery. Treating both eyes simultaneously could cause impairments, like blurry vision or glare, that can impact a patient’s ability to participate in their favorite activities or live independently.
Performing cataract surgery separately also allows surgeons to assess how well a patient’s chosen intraocular lens (IOL) is performing. If they chose a premium IOL, such as a multifocal lens, it is helpful to see how well it improved their vision before operating on their second eye.
In addition to cataract surgery, an eye surgeon may advise patients with complex cases to undergo separate eye operations. Examples of complex cases include corneal transplants, retinal surgeries, and glaucoma treatments, all of which carry a slightly higher risk of complications.
Factors That Can Affect the Timing of Eye Surgery
Several key factors can influence whether both eyes are treated on the same day. These factors include:
Type of Procedure
The type of eye surgery to be performed plays a significant role in determining timing. Low-risk procedures that offer fast results, such as LASIK, are often performed on both eyes the same day, while more involved surgeries, such as corneal or cataract surgery, are usually scheduled separately.
Risk of Complications
If a surgery carries a higher chance of infection or other complications, doctors tend to space out the procedures. This approach ensures that if one eye takes longer to heal, the other eye’s vision is not placed at unnecessary risk.
Overall Health
A patient’s overall health can crucially impact how well they heal after surgery. Chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, can slow recovery, making it safer to allow more time between operations.
Lifestyle
A patient’s lifestyle can influence their preferred timing for surgery. Someone who needs to return quickly to work, school, or sports may only be able to fit a same-day treatment into their schedule, while a nervous patient may prefer the reassurance of separate surgeries.
Surgeon’s Guidance
Ultimately, the timing of eye surgery should be guided by an eye surgeon’s professional opinion. They can provide patients with informed recommendations, based on the procedure to be performed, the patient’s health, and their vision goals.
Whether both eyes can undergo surgery on the same day largely depends on the procedure being performed. While laser vision correction procedures can often be completed in the same day, cataract surgery and more complex procedures are safest when performed separately.
Ready to explore your vision correction options? Schedule a consultation with the experienced team at Whitson Vision in Indianapolis, IN, to discuss whether same-day or separate surgeries are right for you.