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.
Many eye surgeons advise patients to avoid alcohol for the first week after eye surgery to ensure the eyes can maintain adequate lubrication.
While each person heals differently, many patients report drastically better vision within the first 24 hours of the procedure. Plan on taking one to three days off of work to be sure you have enough time to rest, but it is normal to resume most normal activities within a couple of days.
Water is one of the best things you can put into your body, especially while it's healing. After cataract surgery, your eyes may need a few days to get used to their new normal. They may even feel a little drier than you're used to. This is another way that drinking enough water is incredibly beneficial!
After cataract surgery, you should wait at least 24 hrs before you can bathe and shower. After this you can shower and bathe as normal. When bathing and showering it is important that your eyes are closed, you do not rub your eyes and that you are very careful to not get any shampoo or soap into your eye. .
“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.”
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.
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.
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.
Additionally, try not to do any housework or cooking after cataract surgery for the first two weeks. If you cannot avoid this, wear your eye shield to reduce the risk of irritation and infection.
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.
Vitamin C: The antioxidant vitamin C helps protect the body from damage and helps repair and grow new cells. Good sources include citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits, and vegetables, such as red bell peppers and broccoli.
However, carbohydrates give our body enough energy and help in the body's repair capacity after any surgery. Following LASIK surgery, you should have these nutritious carbs: Bananas. Oats.
Vitamin C is also said to speed up the healing process, and you can eat more citrus fruits, strawberries and bell peppers to increase your vitamin C intake. Healthy fats are known to decrease inflammation, and it is likely that you will experience some inflammation following your eye surgery.
Your lens is held in place by delicate fibers called zonules. If you've had an eye lens replacement for cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange, your intraocular lens implant (IOL) is held in place by a small sac and these thin fibers.
Everything can look more faded to you when you have cataracts than it does for people without them. After having cataract surgery, many patients notice that colors are brighter. That's because they are viewing the world through clear lenses rather than their own brownish, yellowish lenses.
A long-term consequence of cataract surgery is posterior capsular opacification (PCO). PCO is the most common complication of cataract surgery. PCO can begin to form at any point following cataract surgery.
You will not harm your eyes by wearing your old glasses. However, you may prefer not wearing them since, in most cases, your vision will have improved after surgery, in particular your distance vision.
Resume your normal walking, climbing of stairs, avoid strenuous activity and no lifting greater than 20 pounds for the first 7-10 days. Resume any medication you were taking from other doctors as ordered when you get home. Your eye may feel scratchy and itchy.
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.
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. Avoid bending over by following these rules.
No, your vision generally doesn't deteriorate after cataract surgery unless other problems arise, such as macular degeneration or glaucoma.