A conventional age-related condition, in cataracts, the natural lens of the eye becomes cloudy and less transparent. While it may initially have little impact on your sight, cataracts can grow over time, and it may start to interfere with your abilities to accomplish everyday tasks if it remains unaddressed. It is usual for the level and quality of vision achieved to decrease as a result of a cataract.
Cataract surgery usually takes lesser time to complete. The surgery takes less than an hour. The doctor will first place eye drops in your eyes to dilate the pupil. Local anesthetics will get administered to numb the area. The doctor may even apply a sedative to assist you in relaxing. If given a sedative, you will be awake but groggy throughout the procedure.
Today, you will learn more about the aftercare procedure once your cataract surgery gets complete.
What is a Cataract Surgery?
Cataract surgery typically takes no more than 15 minutes and is performed under local anesthesia, making it virtually painless. While the procedure itself is very prompt, it can take a while for your eyes to acclimate to the synthetic lens used to substitute your natural lens in the days or even weeks post-surgery.
There are several things you can do while recovering from surgery. You need to care for your eyes and optimize the overall healing process. To assist you in preparing for this, we have created a comprehensive guide. It covers everything you could want to know about the dos and don’ts following cataract surgery.
Tips for Post-Cataract Surgery
You should be able to leave the hospital the same day as your cataract surgery. When you leave the hospital, you may have a pad and plastic shield over your treated eye, which can usually get removed the next day. The feeling should return to your eye after a few hours after surgery, but vision may take a couple of days to recover.
These side effects usually go away after a few days, but it can take 4 to 6 weeks to fully recover. If you require new glasses, you will be unable to order them until your eye has completely healed, which usually takes six weeks. Cataract surgery has a high success rate in improving your vision and should allow you to resume normal activities such as driving.
However, keep the following tips in mind to ensure a good recovery.
Dos
- Avoid activities that are strenuous on your eyes in the early post-op phase.
Avoiding activities, which are taxing on your eyes is critical to promoting healing, so take it easy in the first week after treatment. Throughout your various aftercare appointments, your ophthalmologist and clinical care team will be able to make the best recommendations for you.
- Use eye drops as instructed by your eye surgeon.
Your eye surgeon will prescribe antibiotics as well as anti-inflammatory eye drops after surgery. You must use these drops as directed. They are critical in preventing infection and inflammation and thus aiding the healing process.
- Show up for every aftercare appointment.
Receiving systematic aftercare is critical to ensuring that your recovery progresses as intended, so you must attend all of your routine follow-up appointments as instructed by your ophthalmologist and surgeon.
- Take painkillers if needed (and prescribed).
Although the treatment itself is painless, some individuals may suffer minor discomfort during the early healing process. It usually goes away as your recovery progresses, and you can use over-the-counter pain relievers like paracetamol to alleviate any discomfort and make the healing process more comfortable.
- Use your protective eye glasses or eyewear.
Following surgery, it is critical to use protective glasses in the early stages to reduce the risk of infection and, as a result, to guarantee a proper healing process. Wearing goggles or shields at night will keep you from rubbing your eyes while sleeping, and wearing them in the shower will keep water, soap, and shampoo out of your eyes.
Read More: Benefits of Laser Cataract Surgery
Don’ts
- Rub your eyes.
For a variety of reasons, vigorous rubbing of your eyes can hurt the healing process. Rubbing, for example, can result in bacteria entering the eye, which can lead to infections. Furthermore, putting pressure on your eyes through extensive rubbing can harm the cornea, the outer window of the eyes and is detrimental to the healing process.
- Drive after surgery.
You should avoid all intensive activity directly afterward your treatment, which means you would be unable to drive the day of surgery. We recommend that you arrange transportation home ahead of time, preferably by a friend or family member who will be able to see you inside and ensure that you are comfortable once you arrive.
- Wear eye makeup for the first week post-surgery.
One of the few precautions you should take after surgery to aid the healing process is to avoid wearing eye make-up. Even when you’re extra cautious, make-up particles can irritate and lead to infection during the recovery period, so you are recommended not to wear any for at least the first week after treatment.
- Swim or use sauna.
Swimming pools, hot tubs, and saunas should be avoided in the first few weeks after treatment because water can carry bacteria that are harmful to the eyes. Swimming gets considered a strenuous activity, and you ought to evade it in the days following treatment.
- Expose your eyes to dust or dirt.
Because your eyes will be more sensitive during the healing process, it is critical to avoid all possible allergens to achieve a smooth recovery. Airborne irritants such as dust and pollen, as well as dirt, smoke, wind, and sunlight, can all be considered.
What Is a Typical Cataract Surgery Recovery Time?
Don’t get too concerned if your vision appears cloudy, blurry, or distorted after you remove the eye shield for the first time. It may take time for your visual system to adjust to the cataract removal and the intraocular lens used to replace your natural lens. During this initial adjustment, some patients even report noticing “wavy” vision or distortions. This phenomenon, if it exists, should last for a short time.
Many people experience having clear vision within a few hours of getting cataract surgery. However, everyone heals differently, and it may take up to a week or two before you see images in their sharpest focus. A follow-up consultation with your cataract surgeon gets scheduled the day after the procedure. It ensures that there are no complications.
If you don’t start noticing any improvement in your blurry vision, or if you experience eye pain or considerable distress in the days following this visit, please notify your surgeon.
Read more: What is Laser Cataract Surgery?
Read more: How to Select Lenses for Cataract Surgery in India?
Conclusion
Follow every one of these dos and don’ts after your cataract surgery to ensure a good recovery. If you need both eyes treated, the sooner your first eye heals, the sooner you can get treatment for your other eye.
While the list may appear detailed, a significant part of your recovery will only get based on reason. Consider your daily actions and whether they might affect your recovery. In the first few days after cataract surgery, your eye is essentially an open, healing wound. Take extra precautions in the first few days, and the rest will fall into place.
Remember only to reach out to the most advanced eye-care hospitals and clinics for your cataract surgery. The experts at Dada Laser Eye Institute will guide you through the entire process. The doctors explain the risks involved and share their knowledge about cataracts before and after your treatment. You can get in touch with the experts and get proper consultation by giving us a call at (+91) 9922995549 or visit our website to fill out a form.