Are you scheduled to get cataract surgery soon, but are concerned about what the recovery will be like? It will help to know the following things so that you are well prepared for when you get home.
You'll Wear An Eye Patch For A While
Your doctor will tell you to wear an eye patch after the surgery for a few days. The main reason for this is to prevent any type of infection from happening afterward. If the eye is covered then it will significantly reduce the chance of an infection. Be aware that you'll even be required to wear the eye patch overnight
You'll Need To Use Eye Drops
Your doctor is going to give you a prescription for eye drops that you need to take for several weeks after the surgery. These eye drops have anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties which are designed to help your eyes heal. Make sure that you take the eye drops as prescribed, even if you are feeling better. This is because antibiotics need the full course of treatment to prevent infections.
You'll Be Restrictive With Your Movement
You'll also be given restrictions about what kind of physical activities you can do after the surgery. In general, you should not be doing anything where you are lifting a lot of weight for a couple of weeks. Ask for help if you need to pick up anything that's heavy to avoid a potential complication. In addition, you should not be doing any bending type activities, such as yoga. You'll also want to avoid any high impact activities, swimming, or basically anything that can put pressure on your eye.
You'll Be Able To Watch Screens And Read
There are not going to be any restrictions in terms of what you can look at after the surgery, as long as it feels comfortable to you. This means that you can watch TV, read a book, use a computer or smartphone, or anything of that nature. Just make sure to stop if you feel discomfort.
You'll Be Able To Drive
There will also not be any restrictions on driving after a cataract surgery, so feel free to commute to work or go shopping if you feel comfortable doing so. However, you may want to hold off until after you are no longer required to wear the eye patch. Driving with one eye can throw off your depth perception, and if you are not used to it this can be unsafe.
For more information, contact a local company like Sabates Eye Centers.
There are a number of medical professionals who you should be seeing on a regular basis, but one that tends to be forgotten about is the optometrist. Even if you do not have trouble seeing clearly, it's a good idea to get an eye exam every year or two, just to ensure nothing is amiss. After all, optometrists do more than prescribe glasses. They can also diagnose conditions like glaucoma and cataracts, which are easier to manage when detected early.
If you would like to learn a little more about what happens when you see the optometrist and why this is so important, read the articles on this website. They're all dedicated to optometry and eye health.