Yes, after cataract surgery, you need to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun. After surgery, your eyes are healing and are more sensitive to the sun's rays than usual. Anytime you go outside, you need to wear sunglasses. Whether it's raining or sunny, the sun is giving off damaging UV rays.
You should continue to wear sunglasses for at least a few weeks after your surgery. This will help to protect your eyes as they heal. After a few weeks, you can start to wear them less often. However, you should still put them on whenever you are going to be in the sun for an extended period of time.
Wear sunglasses outdoors for one week after surgery. It is optional to wear them indoors.
You could even cause your cataracts to return as UV rays are one of the leading causes of cataracts. That's why doctors recommend you wearing sunglasses outside for the first year after your surgery.
Often, it's a good idea to purchase a pair of glasses for use as needed after cataract surgery. To see your best at all distances, progressive lenses often are the best solution. If sensitivity to light is a problem, photochromic lenses that darken automatically in sunlight usually are a great choice.
Reading. Reading will be more enjoyable after cataract surgery, whether you select a monofocal IOL or a premium IOL. All IOLs can provide excellent up-close vision without glasses. After cataract surgery, you can read without using reading glasses again.
Depending on the lens and the patient, neuroadaptation may happen sooner, later or not at all. The majority of patients will adapt to multifocal IOLs within six to 12 months, according to Dr. Maloney. But about 10 percent of patients never will adapt.
Is it OK to wear sunglasses all the time? Yes, it's perfectly OK to wear sunglasses all the time. UV protective sunglasses will protect your eyes and surrounding skin from ultraviolet light. Sunglasses help reduce the chances of certain eye conditions such as pterygium, cancer or macular degeneration.
The sunglasses help make sure that doesn't happen while you are outside immediately after surgery. It's the same reason that most surgeons ask you to wear a protective plastic shield over the eye at night while you are sleeping for the first week so that you don't inadvertently rub the eye or smash it into your pillow.
The IOL that replaces your old lens is one of the most significant factors in whether you'll still need glasses after cataract surgery. Because normal IOLs don't correct in multiple ways, many patients still require some external correction.
“High eye pressure can interfere with the incision before it fully heals,” says Eghrari. “Positions that put your head below your waist, such as bending over, can also increase eye pressure and should be avoided initially after surgery.”
Cataract surgery should not affect how you sleep, aside from wearing the protective eye shield to avoid rubbing the eye. Rubbing your eye or even water splashing in your eye can aggravate the chances of infection. You may also want to avoid sleeping on the side of the operated eye for the first 24 hours.
Washing Your Face and Hygiene after Cataract Surgery
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.
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.
How long does it take to recover from cataract surgery? In most cases, full recovery from cataract surgery takes four weeks. But people often notice improvement in their vision within a few days. There should be little pain or discomfort during this period.
Most people don't realize that wearing sunglasses all the time can cause eye strain. It makes your eyes constantly squint, making it hard for them to focus correctly. Additionally, wearing sunglasses all the time can lead to infections such as conjunctivitis or pink eye.
generally speaking, they are to be removed when in conversation when outdoors in the sun. However, carrying on a conversation without sunglasses, while sitting in the sun at a ball park, or swimming event, or on the beach defeats the purpose of wearing sunglasses period.
Some people love wearing sunglasses all the time, as protection against the sun and as a fashion accessory. Some people wear sunglasses to cover their eyes because of medical reasons. Many people, especially those in the limelight, wear sunglasses at night too.
Patients with a dislocated IOL may experience a decrease or change in vision, diplopia, and/or glare. Additionally, they may report ocular pain or headaches from intermittent angle-closure and/or inflammation. Some patients also report seeing the edge of the IOL.
You should not bend over after cataract surgery for at least 2 weeks. Bending over will place pressure on the eye and this may cause unnecessary complications to your eye. The main complication will be a delay in the healing process.
Inflammation. Inflammation in the eye can happen after cataract surgery, but it is typically harmless. Any inflammation within the eye following cataract surgery is the body's natural response to having the eye's lens removed. This reaction causes blurry vision, but your eye doctor can prescribe medication to help.
In most cases, patients will require +1.25 D for computer use and +2.25 to 2.50 D for reading near. The rule of thumb is that if you want to see things closer, select a higher number like +3.00 D, and if you want to see farther away like at a music stand, choose +1.00 D.
While there is no guarantee that cataract surgery will give you 20/20 vision, with new advances in technology your chances are quite high. Schedule an appointment with your eye doctor to discuss the benefits of cataract surgery, and determine which type of IOL is right for you.
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.