Cataract Surgery after Contact Lens Wear

Question: I currently wear contact lenses and scheduled to have cataract surgery. I was told that wearing contacts distorts the cornea and that they shouldn't be worn for a period of time prior to cataract surgery. The exact period of time is not really clear. Could you shed some light on this subject for me?

Answer: Contact lenses can distort the curvature, shape and thickness of your cornea which can make the measurements of your eye difficult and reduce the precision of the calculations for a Lens Implant. The risk of this happening really depends on the type of contact lenses you are wearing, and how long you have been wearing them, as well as other factors. Rigid contact lenses worn for years and years tend to have the greatest impact on distortion. Soft daily wear contacts tend to have the least. You should follow your Cataract Surgeon's instructions as he or she will determine how much distortion-if any-has occurred and then make sequential measurements to determine when stability has returned to a normal consistent shape. Thus there is no one right answer-each patient, depending on their contact lens wearing history-is an individual and unique situation. In general, the time can be from one week to three months, but really depends on the factors above.

Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on aboutcataractsurgery.com is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of aboutcataractsurgery.com is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.