After Cataract Surgery – Here’s What Not To Do To Avoid The Risks

Cataract surgery in Australia and the western world is typically considered to be a very safe procedure. Despite this, as with any medical operation, there is still a risk of a complication or adverse event occurring during the cataract surgery recovery period. If you’re about to undergo cataract surgery or have just had it done, here’s a list of after cataract surgery, what not to do. 

After Cataract Surgery, This is What Not to Do

Don’t drive

Your cataract surgeon will have advised you of this before you turned up to your surgery appointment. Not only may you be feeling a little groggy from the sedation, but your vision will need time to recover from the dilating drops used during the procedure and you’ll need to adjust to your new vision. In most cases, it may just take a couple of days until your ophthalmologist gives you the all-clear to get behind the wheel again. If the cataract operation has left quite a large difference in prescription between your two eyes while you’re waiting for surgery on the second eye, you may opt to avoid driving at all during the entire cataract surgery recovery period until you’ve had the second operation, as the prescription difference can affect your depth perception. 

Don’t do strenuous activities

Immediately after your cataract surgery, it’s a good idea to just put your feet up and rest for the following few days. Try to avoid any heavy lifting, whether weights at the gym or shopping bags. It’s advisable even to leave the housework, such as mopping and vacuuming until you’re feeling well again. 

Don’t stop your prescription eye drops early

This is a particularly important instruction for after cataract surgery, what not to do. Your cataract surgeon will prescribe you two to three bottles of eye drop medications to use during your cataract surgery recovery. You will have one bottle of antibiotics to prevent an infection from taking advantage of your eye in its vulnerable state, as well as one or two anti-inflammatory eye drops to help control the post-surgery inflammation. You may feel your eye has settled quite soon after your surgery. However, it’s important you continue to use your medicated eye drops for as long as you have been instructed. Ceasing these medications early can allow an eye infection to take hold, or for any inflammation to flare up again, complicating your healing process. 

Don’t buy new glasses or contacts until you’ve had your final check

Even though your eyes and vision may feel quite good within a couple of weeks after your cataract surgery, it can still take up to four to six weeks for everything to settle properly. Purchasing new glasses or contacts while your eye is still healing and your prescription still shifting may result in an incorrectly made script and a waste of money. Your cataract surgeon will advise you when it’s time to return to your optometrist to update your prescription if you still require glasses or contacts after your cataract operation. 

Don’t let foreign substances into your eye

During the cataract surgery recovery period, your eye is in a vulnerable state.

While it’s obvious that it’s important to keep it clean, there may be some sources of contamination you haven’t thought of. In the first week or so, you may want to clean your eye by using only clean water and a cotton cleansing pad or face washer. Avoid cosmetics, soaps, detergents, facial cleansers, or other products around your eye area.

It’s also important to avoid swimming pools, saunas, hot tubs, and water at the beach while your eye is healing, as these unsterile water sources often harbour a parasite called acanthamoeba. It goes without saying that after cataract surgery, what not to do includes getting anything like dirt, dust, or debris into your eye. 

Don’t engage in activities with the risk of trauma

After any sort of operation, it’s best to avoid rough or very physical activities, and cataract surgery is no different. Sports that involve a risk of physical contact including wrestling, boxing, martial arts, basketball, and soccer, are best left until after your eye has healed. If you work in an occupation that comes with a risk of trauma, such as on a construction site or in the armed forces, you may want to take an extended break from work or wear additional eye and head protection if your workplace protocol allows. 

Don’t ignore any warning signs

As your eye heals from cataract surgery, you can expect it to feel a bit puffy, red, and gritty in the days following your operation. Your vision may not be sharp immediately, but will settle over the following month or so. However, if you experience any deterioration in your vision, increase in pain or redness, any discharge from the eye, or the presence of flashing lights or floating spots in your vision, it’s important not to ignore these signs. Contact your cataract surgeon or your local optometrist without delay. If you’re unable to get hold of an eyecare professional and you feel something is not right with your eyes or vision, be sure to take yourself to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Contact us today on (03) 9070 3580 for a consultation.

Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.