The Healthy You Is the Better You

Posted on: 26 June 2020

Most patients find cataract surgery surprisingly simple. Typically, there is no pain involved in the surgery itself, and after the procedure, most people only experience minor itching and irritation. But this does not mean your eye doesn't need time to recover. You still need time for the incisions to heal, and for the new lens to fix itself to your eye tissues. This can take multiple weeks, depending on how well your body heals. There are also some things you can do to encourage your eye to heal from cataract surgery faster. Read on to learn more.

1. Avoid heavy lifting.

When you lift heavy objects, it can put a strain on your eyes and on the muscles around your eyes. This can separate the lens from your natural eye tissues and reverse any healing you've done. Try to avoid lifting anything heavier than five pounds for at least a month after surgery. When you do lift lightweight items, bend at the knees, and continue looking straight ahead. You do not want to bend over while looking down, as this puts a strain on your eyes and might slow healing.

2. Try to avoid coughing.

Coughing also puts a strain on your eyes. Sometimes it's unavoidable to cough, but if you have any sort of control, try to avoid coughing. Take a cough suppressant medication if you develop a cough, and spend time in a humid bathroom to ease throat irritation if needed. 

3. Keep dust and other irritants out of your eyes.

Dust, dirt, and pollen can irritate your eyes and slow down the healing process. Try to stay inside on days when the pollen count is high, and wear a pair of goggles if you need to be somewhere dusty. Have someone else in your family do the dusting and vacuuming for the first month after your cataract surgery. It's a good excuse to take a break from cleaning.

4. Avoid rubbing your eyes.

Rubbing your eyes could accidentally dislodge the lens, which would slow down your healing process greatly. If you find yourself tempted to rub your eyes, start wearing sunglasses or goggles to prevent this action. Your surgeon should give you protective goggles to wear at night so you don't rub your eyes in your sleep. There's nothing wrong with wearing them in the daytime as well.

Talk to your surgeon to learn more about speedy healing from cataract surgery; enhanced vision is just around the corner.