What You Will Need To Do After Cataract Surgery

After cataract surgery the majority of patients are able to return home the same day, and are then able to resume their normal lives with only a few cautions and reasons to be careful. As long as due care is taken, there is a minimal risk of complication and anything which does occur can be quickly treated. Only in rare cases does something unexpected happen which will create a need for the patient to be hospitalized and put under close observation, and it is even more rare for there to be any permanent damage to the eye or to the vision.

The length of the post cataract surgery period will depend to a large degree on which type of operation was used to remove the cataract. The most common operation in Western countries is now the one called phacoemulsification, which can be likened to keyhole surgery for the rest of the body. This operation is carried out under local anesthetic and involves the use of a small incision in the eye lens. As the body is put under relatively mild pressure, the patient is usually discharged the same day. It is not economical to keep a patient any longer if they should be able to manage their own post operative care program.

Patients who have has a more invasive procedure with a larger incision carried out will need to take longer to recover, but even in this case there is a strong chance that a patient in fundamentally good health will be able to go home the same day. More care will need to be taken in the weeks following the operation, and there will be a greater need for medical appointments so that progress can be gauged. These can normally be with an outside doctor so there is no need to return to the hospital.

The most critical time comes in the weeks immediately after cataract surgery when the eye is at its most sensitive and is susceptible to damage. Some of the advice given to cataract patients is obvious, such as the wearing of an eye patch and the resting of the eyes following any extensive period of strain or activity. Other advice is not so obvious but equally important, such as the advice not to bend at the waist and pick up objects from the floor. This will indirectly strain your eye muscles and could be extremely painful.

As the weeks go by the swelling will go down and you will be more able to live your normal life. Of you have been able to have a replacement synthetic lens fitted which accommodating capabilities it should be possible to resume all normal activities within days, at least for a short time each day. The cheaper lenses will not give you the same capability and many activities can only be carried out using corrective lenses. This will inevitably mean a short period of adjustment, so be careful during this time not to attempt too much too soon.

Even if you have had a relatively simple procedure and were in good health after cataract surgery there will still be a need to monitor your progress over the weeks to come. Typically, there will be six weeks of consultant or doctor appointments before you will be taken out of the system altogether. When this happens, you will still be able to get back to your doctor should any unexpected problems develop. A problem such as after cataract, which needs further surgical intervention, can occur long after the initial recovery period and long after cataract surgery.