Should you Travel for your Cataract Surgery

Undoubtedly, you’ll want the very best ophthalmologist to carry out your cataract surgery. But what should you do if your chosen surgeon isn’t in your hometown? Is it okay to travel to receive the care you want?

Not only that, but are you allowed to drive after surgery? Or be driven a long distance? What about flying…? These are all common questions and ones that we discuss below.

The Whys and Wherefores of Traveling for Cataract Surgery 

• Why should you travel for cataract surgery?
• Should you travel for cataract surgery—driving?
• Should you travel for cataract surgery—flying?

Why should you travel for cataract surgery?

There are many reasons you might choose to travel for cataract surgery. The most common can be summed up as follows:

• You want to be treated by the best clinician possible. Perhaps you’ve been recommended to a clinician by another medical practitioner, or you’ve a friend or relative who’s received outstanding treatment from a particular surgeon.
• Your condition is particularly complex. Maybe you’ve developed cataract/s following a traumatic injury or your child has been diagnosed with congenital or pediatric cataracts. Such specialist treatment might not be available closer to home.
• You want to benefit from cutting-edge procedures that might not yet be commonplace, therefore you need to travel to a place and surgeon that can perform them
• You want to take advantage of the very latest intraocular lens technology—again, not all surgeons can offer the most up-to-date options

These are some of the most common drivers behind traveling for a cataract procedure.

So… Having determined some of the reasons why you might want to travel, let’s look at the practicalities.

Should you travel for cataract surgery—driving?

If your cataracts have evolved sufficiently that you’ve been deemed ready for surgery, then you might already have reduced or even given up driving. It’s pretty much a given that you’ll not be comfortable driving at night. Even if you’re still driving, you won’t be able to drive for at least a few days after the cataract procedure.

However, there’s nothing to stop you being driven—both to and following the operation. While you might not want to have a very long drive straight away, there’s nothing to prevent you staying in a hotel or rental property for a couple of days. This will allow you to attend the necessary post-operative visit with your surgeon a day or so after the procedure. Once you’ve been given the all clear, you can then be driven home.

Should you travel for cataract surgery—flying?

The general rule of thumb is that you should wait a day or so before you fly. If you’ve traveled to benefit from your surgeon of choice, then you’ll also want to have your follow up appointment from them around 24-48 hours after the operation. After this, it’s perfectly find to get on an airplane to travel home.

In short, traveling for cataract surgery to ensure you get the service and expertise you need and deserve is absolutely the right thing to do. Of course, you should always follow the medical advice of your ophthalmologist, but—in general—traveling to get a cataract operation is perfectly feasible and something that many people do.

Traveling for Cataract Surgery? Take Advantage of the Modern Cataract Surgery Clinic 

At the Modern Cataract Surgery Clinic, patients traveling to take advantage of our exceptional service is an everyday occurrence—and it’s for good reason. Because we really do offer cataract surgery that’s second-to-none.

Globally renowned cataract expert, Dr. Brent Bellotte, leads a team of talented clinicians to provide one of the best ophthalmologist facilities on the planet—plus he’s known the world over for his expertise regarding all things cataracts.

Find out more at https://www.moderncataractsurgery.com/ and call our friendly team today to book a consultation.