If you have recently been told that you will require cataract eye surgery on one or both of your eyes, you may be worrying about what will happen and the recovery from the operation. It is a surgery that is common for many people, and it is relatively straightforward. The recovery time can also be much quicker than you may expect, and it will make a tremendous difference to how you view the world. Below is some advice on recovering from cataract surgery to know what to expect and fully prepare for what lies ahead.
What To Expect After Your Surgery?
Cataract surgery is a relatively simple procedure, and it is usually done as an outpatient, so you will be sent home to recover the same day as your operation. In most cases, you will not be in the hospital for more than four hours, and you will not require a general anaesthetic for the surgery. If you have eye drops to numb the area before your operation, your doctor will send you home with a transparent shield for your eye to protect it until you get home. However, if you had a local anaesthetic, you need to wear a cover over your eye for a few hours until this wears off.
Taking Care Of Your Eye
When you get home, there are some common side effects for your eyes that are nothing for you to worry about at all. Some of the side effects include:
- Your eyes are watering
- It feels like grit in your eye
- You vision becomes blurred
- You experience double vision
- Your eye is red and bloodshot
It is common for these side effects to diminish within a few days, but it can take between four and six weeks to recover from your procedure fully. Your doctor will give you eye drops that you will need to use as instructed, and you will need to rest for a few days. You will also need to use your eye shield at night for around a week, and you may need to take painkillers if you are suffering from pain. You will still be able to shower and wash, as usual, read a book, use a computer, or watch TV, but you will need to avoid swimming until fully recovered.
When you are washing, you want to avoid getting soap in your eye and avoid rubbing them. You will not be allowed to drive until your doctor tells you that you can, and you will also want to avoid wearing makeup. Avoid housework and strenuous exercise, and you are also to avoid flying until you recover. You may also need to buy new glasses once you are healed, but you will feel like a new person and see the world differently once you recover from your cataract removal operation.
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