Here are some things that you may want to avoid before and after cataract surgery to ensure that you heal properly. Avoiding eating and drinking before your surgery. Don't wear makeup to the surgery appointment, and avoid wearing makeup until your ophthalmologist allows it so that you can better prevent infection.
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.
Cataract surgery patients often worry about what may happen if they blink during the procedure. Although this is an understandable concern, there is no need to worry. You will be given an oral medication prior to the procedure to help you relax during your surgery.
During cataract surgery
First, we create a tiny incision in your eye with the laser near the edge of your cornea, and then emulsify the cataract and your natural lens using ultrasound. We remove the emulsified material of your old lens through the tiny incision and install your new, clear intraocular lens.
Older studies indicate that 33% of patients report their fear and 32% experience increased emotional tension prior to first-eye cataract surgery. The main cause of these emotions is the fear of surgery, such as the fear that the procedure will be painful, fear of failure, and possible deterioration or loss of vision.
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. You may also want to avoid face cream or lotion.
take it easy for the first 2 to 3 days. use your eye shield at night for at least a week. take painkillers if you need to. bathe or shower yourself as usual.
While home, you may be allowed to remove your eye shield, but you should wear it when sleeping for at least a week to prevent eye injury. Full recovery from cataract surgery should be complete in about a month, although it can take up to three months for your eye to be completely healed.
Endophthalmitis is a serious complication of cataract surgery involving microorganisms that gain entry into the eye. Risk factors for the development of endophthalmitis include rupture of the posterior capsule or the need for anterior vitrectomy during the procedure, age greater than 85 years, and male sex.
To save time and ease the stress of surgery, we don't ask cataract patients to remove their clothing before surgery. Instead, we instruct them to wear a loose-fitting top so that we can easily attach monitor leads and place a hospital gown on top of their clothes.
At the beginning of surgery, your ophthalmic surgeon will clean the skin around the eye and place a plastic cover on the eyelid so that partially covers your face and if your surgery is under local anaesthetic you have some oxygen to breathe and space around your mouth to feel comfortable and non-claustrophobic.
Typically, patients are awake during cataract surgery. This eliminates risks associated with general anesthesia (where you are “put to sleep”) and enables our doctors to communicate with you during your procedure. You will be given an oral medication prior to the procedure to help you relax during your surgery.
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.
The requirement for fasting before surgery was recommended by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), which published updated guidelines in 2011 for patients undergoing general anesthesia to reduce the risk of aspiration pneumonia.
Prolonged exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can enhance cataract progression. During sunny days when you must be outside, try to wear sunglasses. For the same reasons as stated above, reducing the amount of ultraviolet light that reaches your eyes will help keep cataracts at bay.
Sleep on your back or on the opposite side of the eye that was operated on to decrease your risk of infection and irritation after surgery. If you turn over in your sleep, your eye shield should help protect your eye from significant damage.
You can take a shower or bath 24 hours after your surgery. Do not get water or soap in your eye. Keep your eye closed while you shower. Use a clean washcloth every time and normal tap water to clean secretions from your lashes or the corner of your eye.
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.
The foods that you will want to avoid are the ones that are generally associated with poor eye health, including foods that are high in sugars or are high in refined carbohydrates (such as bread, pastas, chips, cereals, etc.).
On the day after you have cataract surgery, your vision may be blurry or uneven. This is normal as your vision needs time to adjust and heal. Most cataract surgeons will ask you to come in for your first follow-up appointment the day after cataract surgery. It's extremely important that you attend this appointment.
Most cataract surgeries employ the following medications singularly or in some combination: midazolam, fentanyl, ketamine, and propofol. Ten years ago, our surgical center preferred midazolam and fentanyl.
An anesthetic shot or numbing eye drops will be used to make sure you'll be comfortable throughout the surgery. You should not feel pain or discomfort during your procedure. Cataract surgery is one of the safest, most successful surgeries involving the eye.
In the first day or two after cataract surgery
You may notice haloes or a circle around light, particularly after multifocal lens implants; this will settle. You should not feel severe pain after cataract surgery but your eye will feel gritty or scratchy, like a grain of sand irritating the eye.