Recovery from Cataract Surgery: Essential Facts to Understand
Cataract surgery is a common procedure that involves removing the clouded lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial one. The most common type of cataract surgery, known as small-incision cataract surgery or phacoemulsification, may have a shorter recovery time.
After the surgery, it's essential to follow the instructions provided by healthcare professionals to ensure a smooth recovery. A person can usually resume their regular activities after a few weeks, but the specific timeline may vary.
In the initial days, most people will need to rest and avoid driving, bending, or lifting heavy objects. The vision may start to sharpen gradually from the third day, and light activities like reading and watching TV can be resumed. By the fourth week, vision should stabilise, and most normal activities can be resumed.
During the recovery phase, it's crucial to protect the eyes from dust, dirt, and water, and to avoid strenuous activities and vigorous exercise. It's also important to avoid touching, rubbing, or pressing on the operated eye, as well as gardening or dusty environments to reduce the risk of irritation or infection.
Common symptoms after cataract surgery include blurry or wavy vision, mild eye discomfort, eye irritation and dryness, grittiness or foreign body sensation, and increased sensitivity to light (photophobia). Patients may also notice halos or glare around lights in the early recovery period.
To manage these symptoms, people should avoid wearing eye makeup, such as mascara and eyeliner, after cataract surgery. They should also avoid driving until the healthcare professional advises, and should be careful when applying eye drops, ensuring not to touch the dropper tip to eyelashes, eyes, or surfaces.
A doctor may prescribe medicated eye drops and antibiotics after cataract surgery. People should only clean their eyes following a doctor's or surgeon's recommendation and should follow the healthcare professional's instructions.
It's important to note that these symptoms usually resolve after a few days, but it can take up to 8 weeks for a full recovery. If a person experiences any concerning symptoms after surgery, such as extreme redness in the eyes, flashes of light, floaters or small dark spots across their vision, loss of vision, or severe pain that is not relieved with pain relief medication, they should contact a healthcare professional as soon as possible.
A friend or family member should be present to drive a person home safely after the surgery. Cataracts are a condition that causes vision loss, impaired night vision, and glare, but with successful surgery and careful recovery, vision can be significantly improved.
[1] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Cataract surgery recovery: What to expect. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cataract-surgery/in-depth/cataract-surgery/art-20047774
[2] American Academy of Ophthalmology. (2021). Cataract surgery: What to expect. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatment-procedures/cataract-surgery
[3] Cleveland Clinic. (2021). Cataract surgery recovery. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/14578-cataract-surgery/about/recovery
[4] National Eye Institute. (2021). Cataract surgery facts. https://nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/cataracts/cataract-surgery-facts
[5] American Optometric Association. (2021). Cataract surgery. https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glaucoma-cataracts-and-other-eye-diseases/cataracts/cataract-surgery
- During the initial recovery period after cataract surgery, it's important to protect the eye health and follow the doctor's instructions carefully to avoid any potential complications related to common medical conditions like irritation or infection.
- It is advisable to prioritize mental-health, fitness-and-exercise, and health-and-wellness automatically after a few weeks when vision has stabilized, but avoid strenuous activities and vigorous exercise during the recovery phase.
- Before embarking on any light activities like reading or watching TV, the vision may start to sharpen gradually from the third day following the surgery, but it's crucial to adhere to the medical-conditions associated with the healing process, such as rest, avoiding dust, and reducing the risk of further eye irritation.
- Patients should take necessary precautions with their eye-health after cataract surgery, which may include avoiding wearing eye makeup, driving until advised, or participating in activities like gardening in order to accelerate the recovery process and minimize the chance of experiencing symptoms like blurry vision or eye discomfort.
