Do’s And Don’t After Cataract Surgery

It’s reasonable for you to wish to come back on your normal routine as soon as possible after the surgery. Usually, your eye would feel fine and tell you nothing of its sickness. This is so because it is, perhaps, covered and not fully active yet.

However, it’s advisable to go slow as far as resuming your daily works is concerned. This would aid healing, lessen chances of complications and help you attain a vision.

When To Start Cooking?

It is advisable to avoid any elaborate cooking for a week or two after the surgery is performed. This is because, while cooking, there are good chances that your eye gets exposed to irritant spices or glaring flames. Also, you may need to lift heavy vessels during the task, which is not advisable till your Intraocular lens gets settled properly in place.

This may take 10 to 15 days, depending upon the general health of the individual.

However, a little boiling or less elaborate meal preparations may be planned.

When To Start Driving?

You need to have someone with you to drive you home after the surgery is done. Even if you feel alright, it’s advisable not to drive for some time after surgery.

You are required to wear a shield over the operated eye for a few hours after surgery. This is to protect it from glare and dust. After removal of the shield, it’s very common with people to report blurred vision or what they call a wavy vision for a few days.

It may take 5 to 7 days before sharper vision comes back to your eye. In a few patients, it may even take longer, say around 15 days.

So, it is advisable not to haste with activities like driving, where you require precision at every moment.

Housework After Cataract Surgery

Though light housework may be done, avoid all heavy task for the first week. This would include cleaning, heavy laundry, washing utensils, cooking etc.

Absolute DONT’S after the procedure are lifting heavy weights, bending too much, jerky movements, getting exposed tho chemicals, dust or other irritants.

Housework may involve these restricted activities. So, it’s better to start slow with them.

What is The Ideal Position To Sleep After Getting The Eye Operated?

Any position is alright, just avoid jerky turns or rolling in bed. Also, a protective shield may be wore over the eye for 3 to 4 days during sleep to avoid inadvertent rubbing of eye.

How Long After Cataract Surgery Is The Vision Blurred?

Only a few patients are able to see clear after day one of surgery. It’s common for most to report a wavy or blurred vision.

Your lens takes time to adjust with the eye musculature and adapts gradually to light exposures. Time taken varies from patient to patient. In general, it may take a week before you can read or see clearly. Reading tiny prints may take longer.

What If I Strain My Eye After Surgery?

If you forcibly study, watch TV or do any strenuous work like weaving or stitching immediately after the procedure, you are likely to be putting premature stress and strain over the eye musculature. Your eye may give you pain and start watering.

The operated eye in such situations becomes prone to catching infections or getting inflamed. Further complications, as listed below, may occur.

So, avoid straining for better healing.

When Can You Resume Reading Or Watching TV?

Such activities involve straining the eye muscles. Better to avoid them for 2 to 3 days after surgery.

Very light reading or watching TV may be resumed after that. However, care should be taken not to strain the eye too much. Limit the number of hours you spent in such activities to a minimum.

Your eye would start watering or give pain if strained too much, signalling that they need rest.

Common Complications After Cataract

Droopy eyelid

It’s common for patients to have a droopy eyelid on the operated side after cataract surgeries. These are commoner in those who have swollen eyes. There can be many cause of getting it, like injury to levator muscles or after effects of anesthesia given to the eye.

This condition is usually self correcting, however, may take a week to six months to go.

Cloudy Vision

Some people complain that they still have a cloudy vision, as before, after the surgery. One reason of having this may be Posterior Capsule Opacity.

In this condition, a few of the cells of the natural lens removed are left behind during surgery. These begin to multiply and cling themselves forming a film over the posterior lens capsule, thus making it opaque.

The problem can be conveniently corrected by a simple laser erasion of the extra layer. Usually, there’s no loss of vision after the procedure.

Red Painful Eye

Your eye may continue to stay red or painful after the surgery. Causes may be some eye infection or allergy.

To avoid this, better use the eye shield to cover the operated eye whenever required. A black goggles may be worn at other times to protect the eye from dust, allergens and other irritants.

Macular Edema

Swelling over the macula, part of retina, may result in decreased vision after surgery. People who are diabetic, on certain medications, hypertensives or having some eye disease are more prone to getting it.

Dislocation Of The Lens Inserted

The lens kept in place after removing the natural one may get displaced by certain activities as lifting heavy weights, bending abruptly or too low, rapid jumps or jerks, revolving or falling down. Even vigorous rubbing of the eye may cause it.

An open eye surgery may be needed to place it back in position.

Sensitivity To Light

This is one of the commonest problems seen after cataract surgeries. Patients may complain that the operated light is too sensitive even to normal light.

Sometimes, flashes of lights may be perceived in the operated eye even if the eye is kept covered.

All these symptoms are related to the recovering nerves. It may take a few months for such symptoms to fade away.