Before cataract surgery (often starting a day or a few days prior, and on the morning of surgery), you’ll be prescribed several types of eye drops. Typically, these include an antibiotic drop to reduce the risk of infection (think of it as sterilizing the eye surfaces), an anti-inflammatory drop(often a steroid or NSAID drop) to minimize swelling and inflammation during and after surgery, and sometimes a drop to dilate the pupil on surgery day. Some surgeons also use a combination drop (3-in-1) for ease and convenience for their patients. It’s crucial to use them exactly as directed: for example, an antibiotic might be started two days before surgery, one drop four times a day, and a steroid maybe the day before or morning of surgery. If you’re instructed to put drops in the morning of surgery, do use them at home as directed.
Proper instillation is important: wash your hands, tilt your head back, gently pull down your lower lid to make a pocket, and drop one drop in without touching the bottle tip to your eye. You can also use a mirror to place the drop in the lower eyelid pocket. Close your eye gently (do not squeeze hard) and maybe press lightly on the inner corner for a minute to keep the drop from draining away too quickly. If you have multiple different drops to put in, wait about 5 minutes between each so they don’t wash each other out. Some surgeons believe these pre-op drops set the stage for a smooth surgery – the eye will be less prone to infection and irritation. Some surgeons do not use preop drops as the evidence is actually somewhat mixed. Some surgeons also add a drop that stabilizes the tear film if you have dry eye, or an iodine-based drop at the surgical center for extra antiseptic.
While it might seem like a lot of drop prep, each has a purpose to maximize safety and results. If you struggle to administer drops, mention it – sometimes there are combination drops or alternative methods (like povidone-iodine flush at surgery for infection prevention) that can help. But in general, be the good student and use your pre-op drops faithfully; it’s like marinating before cooking – it makes everything go better.
