Cataract Surgery Postop By William Goldstein on August 16, 2016

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, about half of all Americans aged 75 and above have cataracts and in the age band 40 and above, over 24 million Americans suffer from impaired vision owing to this problem. When ignored, cataracts cause blindness and this is, in fact, the leading cause of vision loss in the U.S. The good news is that this is a problem that easily be rectified with a simple surgical procedure that an average of two million people get done each year. 21% of participants in a survey of successful cataract surgery patients said that their quality of life was better after surgery in one eye while the percentage rose to 36% for those who had surgery in both eyes. Clearly, if you are finding your vision increasing impaired by cataracts, there is no reason to put off the surgery any longer. Your surgeon will take all possible care to give you the very best outcomes but it is in your hands to take the right kind of care after the surgery to ensure that you justify his efforts. 

 

Immediately after the surgery, it is important for you to get some rest and ensure that your eyes are well rested too. For the 24 hours following the procedure, it is best to avoid watching TV or reading. It is also important to completely avoid touching your eyes or rubbing them even if you find some slight itchiness. If your doctor has applied or recommended an eye covering, make sure you keep it on as long as advised to ensure that your eye can heal quickly. After the first 24 hours, you can do all your regular activities without subjecting your eyes to extra strain.

 

Extremely strenuous activities are best avoided unless your doctor has expressly permitted you to do them. 

 

Sensitivity is a possibility for many patients and this may continue for  a few days after the surgery. Many patients see a halo when they look at bright lights. They also report grittiness and itchiness in the eye. These are all perfectly normal reactions and they will fade away over a couple of days. Follow the instructions given by your surgeon for any oral medication as well as eye drop and make sure that you take/ use them as advised on time. Do not resume activities where you need to use your eyes extensively (TV watching, reading) before the green signal has been given by your surgeon. Visit Dr. Goldstein as scheduled and let him examine your eyes to ensure that the healing is on track.