It takes a few days to recover from cataract surgery, you are usually able to go home on the same day.
You will be asked to wear an eye shield over your eye after your surgery has finished and you can typically remove the protective shield the day after your surgery.
It can take up to a few days for your sight to return however, the feeling in the operated eye will return within a few hours after the surgery.
Some of the expected symptoms you will experience are:
A full recovery generally can take up to 4 – 6 weeks but, these side effect usually get better within a few days.
A time frame of 6 weeks is usually given if you need new glasses due to the eye healing process.
Due to the very high success rate of eye cataract surgery in improving your eyesight, you should be able to get on with your habitual activities such as driving.
Eye problems are a very serious matter and should not be taken lightly. You should get in contact with your eye doctor as soon as possible if you experience some of these eye conditions:
Some of the practices you should follow after the first few weeks of surgery:
Do:
Don’t:
If your sight in the other eye is poor, then you can arrange for someone to come and take care of you whilst you recover.
Depending on the type of job you have will determine how soon you can get back to work.
After you are done with the surgery, you will be given eye drops in order to assist in helping your eye heal and prevent any infections.
Eye care is very important and should be taken seriously. Using your eye drops according to the advice given by the doctor is crucial. Some good practices to implement are:
When you have your post-operation, which will be in a 1-4 weeks time, you will be advised with further details on how to use your eye drops.
Check out this guide on how to use eye drops.
Cataract surgery recovery can sometimes feel overwhelming however, it does not necessarily stop you from anything at all.
In fact, doing light housework is totally okay however, your doctor may advise to refrain from heavy lifting and bending over for up to a week after surgery. You should put aside any intense physical activities up until you have fully recovered.
Post surgery, it is quite normal to feel sluggish and lethargic which can have an influence on how often you cook. You may come to realise that it can get difficult whilst you are still in the healing phase.
You should give yourself some time off from cooking and possibly pre-prepare your meals before your surgery or you can buy pre-cooked meals which does not require much effort to prepare.
Check out these healthy recipes for healthy eyes
Swimming pools tend to be breeding grounds for diseases, it is something you definitely need to stay away from when your eye needs healing. If swimming is in your routine, then you should take a short break of about a week to allow your eye to heal. Saunas and hot tubs are other activities you should avoid.
See how exercise can improve your eyesight!
Although a large number of the patients that have cataracts are usually retired. However, this does not mean that it can not happen to younger patients.
After an operation, everyone needs some time off, but you do not want to take too much time off as it can get in the way of you getting back to normal.
There are a few factors that depend how soon you can get back to work:
For example, if a person has a strenuous outdoors job, it can take longer for them to get back into work in comparison to someone who has an office job.
Recovery times tend to vary as every person is different. Typically, cataract surgery has a quick recovery time and many people who are in office jobs are usually back into work within a couple days.
However, physically demanding jobs that expose a person to frequent dust or liquids must take their time getting back to work.
Further to this, if your jobs involves driving then your eye must meet the required DVLA standards. This time frame can vary as you can be back at work within a few days or your return could be delayed until your glasses are tested which can take up to 4 weeks.
Here you can find more details on what cataracts are.
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