You may be instructed not to eat or drink anything 12 hours before cataract surgery. Your doctor may also advise you to temporarily stop taking any medication that could increase your risk of bleeding during the procedure.
No solid food for 6 hours prior to your surgery. No thick liquids after midnight (Milk, cream, orange juice, prune juice.) Up to 2 hours before surgery, we encourage you to drink clear liquids (coffee, tea, apple juice, water, soft drinks or meat broth.) Sugar in your coffee and tea is okay, but no milk products.
You are encouraged to drink clear liquids before surgery or anesthesia — NOT milk or dairy products — until 2 hours before the time you are scheduled to arrive at the hospital or surgery center. Staying hydrated is good for you, and it's especially important in hot weather! Clear, see-through liquids include: Water.
Don't: Eat or Drink Right Before the Surgery
While under sedation, there is a chance of stomach acid going into your lungs, which can cause damage.
On the day of surgery, do not eat or drink anything for a minimum of 8 hours before surgery. Please refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages for up to 24 hours prior to the procedure. Wear clean and comfortable clothes on the day of surgery, shower and wash your hair, and do not wear any makeup.
Do not drink anything except for clear water after midnight the night before surgery. If you do not fast, we will need to cancel your surgery. Take your daily medications as usual on the morning of surgery with small sips of water. If you are diabetic, do not take any oral diabetic medication the morning of surgery.
Your provider will probably also recommend that you not eat or drink anything after midnight or the morning before the procedure. Do not even drink coffee, tea, or water. If you regularly take prescription medicines, your provider may ask you to take them on the day of surgery with a sip of water.
Usually, before having a general anaesthetic, you will not be allowed anything to eat or drink. This is because when the anaesthetic is used, your body's reflexes are temporarily stopped. If your stomach has food and drink in it, there's a risk of vomiting or bringing up food into your throat.
Alcohol may also interfere with any eye drops or medications that we give you during the procedure. If you feel nauseous, overly tired or off-balance as a result of drinking alcohol from the night before, this is also not ideal as it will make the experience more uncomfortable than it needs to be.
Yes, it is ok to brush your teeth prior to cataract surgery. If you have been asked to fast prior to the surgery, you should use as little water as possible and try to not drink anything during or after brushing your teeth.
BEFORE YOU ARRIVE Either the night before or the morning of surgery, you should take a shower with antibacterial soap (such as Dial) and wash your hair with your regular shampoo.
Several hours following the surgery, most patients are able to watch some television or look at a computer screen for a short period of time. It's important however that you don't over-exert your eyes during the first 24 hours post-surgery. You can expect to return to most normal activities during the first week.
You can resume activities such as washing your face the day after surgery, as long as you are careful to not touch the eye. You shouldn't splash water directly on your face and instead, use a washcloth to carefully clean.
You may be up and about, bend over to pick up objects or put on shoes. Using reasonable care, you may bathe or shower, wash hair, shave, brush teeth, read, write, watch TV, ride in care, climb stairs or go for a walk. Driving is permitted, following your first post-op visit, if the other eye sees well enough.
Various drapes will be placed over your face and shoulders to keep the operation area clean. You can still breathe normally. You will need to keep still and not talk during the surgery.
take it easy for the first 2 to 3 days. use your eye shield at night for at least a week.
After cataract surgery, a person should focus on eating a nutritious diet that promotes healing. Foods to avoid include refined carbohydrates, sugar, salt, and processed foods. People should also avoid tobacco and alcohol, which can slow healing and increase inflammation.
Dress comfortably: During surgery, you won't need to change into a gown, so practitioners advise wearing comfortable, loose-fitting clothes. No change of clothes is necessary, though you may want to bring an extra shirt as fluids used in the surgery may drip down, Make sure to wear a shirt or top that has buttons.
A number of studies show that patients do much better if they're allowed to drink up to two hours before surgery. Patients who do so are more comfortable, they have less anxiety about surgery, and they have less pain after surgery.
This is because your wound should not be soaked in water until it's healed. It could cause the skin to soften and reopen the wound. Guidelines published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) say you can have a shower 48 hours after surgery.
You can drink water up to 2 hours before surgery. If you continue to eat or drink, your surgery will be cancelled. It's important to follow these instructions. If there is food or liquid in your stomach during the anaesthetic, it could come up to the back of your throat and damage your lungs.
Sleeping After Cataract Surgery
This will reduce the risk of irritation and infection in the eye and help speed up your recovery process. As with any healing process, getting enough rest and sleep is vital for recovering from cataract surgery.
You can shower or wash your hair the day after surgery. Keep water, soap, shampoo, hair spray, and shaving lotion out of your eye, especially for the first week. Do not rub or put pressure on your eye for at least 1 week. Do not wear eye makeup for 1 to 2 weeks.
Immediately after cataract surgery
You will need to have a family member or friend with you to take you home. Once you get home, it is recommended that you rest your eyes and nap.