5 Tips For A Safe Cataract Surgery Recovery
Recovering from cataract surgery is not difficult, but it is important to do right. You are most likely to experience complications during recovery.
This is the time you need to be most careful with your eyes. To help you, here are a few things to remember as you are healing.
Do Not Rub Your Eyes
Rubbing your eyes after eye surgery is about the easiest way you can cause damage. It’s easier said than done, as irritation and dryness are common side effects.
During cataract surgery, it involves creating a flap on the cornea. This flap is very prone to tearing while it heals and reattaches itself.
Rubbing your eyes is never good for them, but it is incredibly dangerous to do after cataract surgery. Use eye drops even if your eyes don’t feel dry.
This will prevent the temptation to rub your eyes and provide a barrier from infection to your eyes.
Do Not Bend Over
During the first few days, the flap in your cornea will be fragile enough to tear from bending over. Even bending over increases your eye pressure.
Of course, you can’t exercise or play contact sports after cataract surgery as well. This will be the case for several weeks. You should be OK to bend over within the first week.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Sleep is necessary for our bodies to heal. You will likely be very tired immediately following the surgery, so don’t feel like you can’t take a nap when you get home.
Make sure you wear the eye shields given to you so you don’t rub or lay on your eyes while you sleep. These shields are made of durable plastic, but they should be plenty comfortable. You can stop using them when your eye doctor advises you.
Avoid Water
You need to avoid all swimming and hot tubs for a few weeks after cataract surgery. Even clean water carries lots of bacteria that can cause infection.
Chlorine can irritate your eyes and cause them to become dry, which can also lead to infection. You can still take showers, but you need to be careful not to get water in your eyes.
Keep them closed as much as possible, and be very careful not to get soap in them. Did you know that water can be the perfect breeding ground for bacteria? It’s up to you be smart around the water after cataract surgery!
Attend Follow-Up Visits
It is very important that you attend your follow-up visits at Pinke Eye Center in Shelton, CT. They are there to allow your surgeon to check your progress.
If there are any problems, it’s better to catch them early before they become an issue. Even though cataract surgery is safe, it is still a surgery.
You should take every precaution to ensure that your recovery is successful.
Have more questions about cataract surgery and what to expect during your recovery? Schedule a cataract screening at Pinke Eye Center in Shelton, CT today!
