Tips for Recovering Well After Cataract Laser Surgery
Posted on: 21 October 2016
If you are having cataract laser surgery soon and are concerned about a safe and comfortable recovery, then you are not alone. While it may make you feel uncomfortable having laser surgery on your eye, the good news is that you will be seeing clearly in as little as one or two days post-surgery. In order for your eye to heal well, please follow these time-tested tips:
Tip: Don't Drive or Bend Over in the Hours After Your Cataract Surgery
Immediately following your laser cataract surgery, you should avoid bending over and driving. Driving is not safe because you will not have enough vision out of one eye to safely drive. Bending over is not safe for your eye because it places extra pressure on your eye. Additionally, you should avoid coughing, sneezing, and vomiting as well if at all possible because these actions also place pressure on your eyes.
Tip: Be Extra Careful When Walking Around After Your Surgery
While your eye is still bandaged or your vision is still blurry from your surgery, you should stay home and be very mindful of where you are walking. During this time, it might be very easy for you to walk into something, fall off of a curb, or tumble down stairs. You can avoid further injury by staying in your home and resting.
Tip: Do Not Swim, Use a Hot Tub, or Soak in the Bathtub in the Week After Your Cataract Surgery
Since your eyes will be irritated after your laser eye surgery, you should avoid situations where your eye would be submerged in water or where you will need to continually wipe water from your eyes. Avoiding the bathtub, hot tubs, and swimming pools for a week or so after surgery will help your eye heal and will prevent an infection from forming. When you take a shower, make sure to keep the water spray away from your face as much as possible.
Tip: Avoid Infection by Using Your Antibiotic Eye Drops as Prescribed
Finally, it is vitally important that in the weeks following your cataract laser surgery you use your antibiotic eye drops as prescribed by your ophthalmologist. The drops are necessary to prevent an infection and will help your eyes heal without added complications. Make sure you use the drops exactly as your doctor prescribed. Also, take care not to handle the medication-dispensing tip of the bottle to keep bacteria from spreading into your eyes from the bottle.
Talk to a professional, such as one from Country Hills Eye Center, for more tips on recovering from your surgery.
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