YOUR EXPERIENCE

Cataract Experience

At Providence Eye & Laser Specialists, our cataract surgeon Dr. Trey Nunnery will give you honest recommendations as he assesses your unique vision needs, examines your eyes, and evaluates the extensive data gathered by our state of the art testing devices. Dr. Nunnery is a compassionate, board certified surgeon who, after a thorough evaluation, can determine if and when cataract surgery is appropriate. He will also discuss the options for replacing your cloudy lens with an Intraocular Lens (IOL). These lenses, which will replace your cloudy lens, can restore your clear vision and may even eliminate or reduce your need for contacts and glasses!

We take pride in our thorough and sincere educational process all our patients go through. Simply put: we know many important factors come into play when deciding on cataract surgery. We are here to guide you through the process, every step of the way.

Your Personalized Cataract Evaluation

If your vision has become cloudy & dull or you have been told by your eye care provider that you have the onset of cataracts, an evaluation by our cataract surgeon, Dr. Nunnery, is the best step to understand your options. Your time with Dr. Nunnery will be spent evaluating your eyes, carefully explaining your options and answering all of your questions.

Trey W. Nunnery, M.D.

Partner, LASIK, PRK and EVO ICL Surgeon

Our Cataract Evaluation Process

What to expect the Day of Your cataract Procedure

Cataract surgery performed by our surgeon, Dr. Nunnery, is conducted at The Surgery Center at Edgewater just 20 minutes from our South Charlotte office. Up until the day of your surgery, all of your appointments will have been at our Providence Eye & Laser Specialists office. On the day of your surgery, you will be going to The Surgery Center at Edgewater. You will return back to our Providence Eye office for all of your post-operative visits.

Note: we only perform cataract surgery on one eye at a time. Surgery on your second eye will be planned 2-4 weeks after your first eye.

Planning for cataract surgery:

Dr. Nunnery and his team will provide you with clear, written pre-operative and post-operative instructions prior to your cataract surgery. For your planning purposes, we ask the following:

When you get dressed please wear your normal clothing. We do recommend layering in case you get warm or cold so that you can adjust accordingly.
Please make sure you have someone who will be driving you.
You should remember to eat the night before but no food or drink after midnight before your surgery. You may have clear liquids as well as black coffee.

Upon arrival at The Surgery Center at Edgewater, you will be greeted by their friendly professional staff. Dr. Nunnery will already be there preparing for your surgery in the treatment room.

To help you relax and prepare for your procedure, we ask that you arrive 1 hour prior to your surgery time.
You will check-in and complete the necessary documents.
You will remain awake but comfortably sedated during the quick procedure.
Numbing eye drops will be placed into your eye and will keep you comfortable during the procedure. When the time is right, you will be escorted into the surgical suite. Dr. Nunnery will be with you through every step of the process.
The first step may involve Dr. Nunnery making a corneal incision based on your previous decision to have traditional cataract surgery or laser-assisted cataract surgery.
The outer shell of the cloudy lens is then opened and the contents gently fragmented so it can be easily removed. If a laser-assisted procedure has been elected then these steps occur using the laser in a separate room, near and prior to entering, the surgical suite.
With the cloudy lens removed, it will be replaced with the Intraocular Lens (IOL) you and Dr. Nunnery have chosen. (Dr. Nunnery will have already discussed your options well before surgery).
With the lens in place, your procedure will be complete. There is no need for stitches to close the incision; it will heal naturally

Upon completion of your cataract surgery

You will rest in the recovery room for 10-20 minutes prior to going home.
You will have a clear plastic shield taped over your eye to prevent you from accidentally rubbing it.
The person who brought you will be asked to bring you home where you should rest for the remainder of the day.
Almost everyone experiences some level of burning, tearing, and light sensitivity. This may be barely noticeable or quite bothersome. It should only last 4-5 hours after you leave the surgery center.
Although you should see well the day after the procedure, expect your vision to be a bit hazy for a couple of weeks.
It takes 1 to 3 months on average for your vision to stabilize; this is normal.

All of our patients are provided with clear, detailed written post-operative instructions. These will be reviewed with you and should be shared with any caregivers or family members who will be assisting you.