Precautions after Cataract Surgery
Cataract surgery is a very common procedure with a success rate of more than 95 percent. Millions of people worldwide undergo cataract surgery every year.
Although the recovery is quick, taking some precautions after cataract surgery is essential to help you get through the healing process.
Read this article to learn the precautions you should take after cataract surgery.
What is cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery is a quick and painless procedure to remove the clouded eye lens and replace it with a new clear, artificial lens.
Normally, your eye lens is clear. But with cataracts, it becomes cloudy and partially opaque, eventually affecting your vision.
For people with cataracts, seeing through cloudy lenses is like looking through a fogged-up window, making it more challenging to do daily tasks.
What to expect after cataract surgery?
- You may not feel a little sensation in the eye for a couple of hours after the surgery.
- The colors may seem brighter post-surgery.
- Some patients also experience mild itching or discomfort in the eye.
- The doctor will prescribe medications and eye drops to prevent infections or reduce inflammation.
- Vision Clears after 4-5 hours of surgery.
Precautions after cataract surgery
The biggest fear that an ophthalmologist face post-cataract surgery is an eye infection. The eye is a small delicate area, and any defect can increase the risk of losing vision completely.
Therefore you must strictly follow these precautions after cataract surgery.
Do’s
- Follow-up visits are a must.
Never miss the follow-up visits to the doctor who will assess the recovery of your eye. It is also necessary to diagnose any complications that could develop due to infections or otherwise.
- Take antibiotics as prescribed.
Take all the prescribed eye drops after the surgery. These prescribed medicines help avoid the development of infections in the eye and help rapid healing
- Shield yourself from irritants.
The eye is sensitive to the environment for at least a week after surgery. The eyes are sensitive to the environment for the first few days after surgery. Use wraparound sunglasses to protect your eyes from dust & dirt.
Don’ts
- Don’t rub or scratch.
Itching sensations are normal to develop after the surgery in the cataract eye. However, this is normal, and avoiding eye scratching and rubbing in response to itching is essential. This may disrupt the recovery process in the eye.
- Avoid physically stressful actions.
Avoid rigorous exercises and activities that require heavy lifting after cataract surgery. If possible, avoid deep and straining coughing, sneezing, and straining hard. These activities put undue stress on the eye and can interfere with the incision before it fully heals, which warrants immediate secondary surgeries!
- Avoid swimming and shower baths.
Exposure to water can cause irritation or infection to your eye until it has healed from cataract surgery. Do not engage in activities like swimming and shower baths for the first few days after the surgery. Take a water bath below the chin and use a damp towel to wipe your face.
Contact the Hospital
All these precautions after cataract surgery should be taken for a month. Contact the hospital immediately in case of-
- Severe pain
- Significant decrease in vision
- Increase in eyelid swelling.
- Increase redness
To know more about the treatment and aftercare of cataract surgery, approach Krishna Eye Centre.
Our centre is a highly advanced and flourished eye care center in Mumbai. Our advanced diagnostic features and highly qualified team of doctors provide detailed eye assessments and treatments to all patients.
Also Read- WHAT SHOULD BE THE RIGHT INTERVAL BETWEEN TWO EYES FOR CATARACT SURGERY?
Also Read– DELAYING CATARACT SURGERY? HERE IS WHY YOU SHOULDN’T!
Also Read- CAN I UNDERGO CATARACT SURGERY AFTER LASIK?
