Cataract surgery recovery tips

We have performed over 700,000 eye surgery procedures at Optimax since we were established in 1991. Thousands of these have been cataract surgery procedures, restoring youthful clear vision to people who suffered with cataracts. Although this is one of the most commonly performed procedures globally, and recovery is generally very quick and straightforward, there are a number of steps you can take and guidance you can follow to increase your likelihood of a smooth and fast recovery from cataract surgery.

What are cataracts?

First things first, let’s cover exactly what cataracts are. They occur naturally as a part of the ageing process and are simply a collection of proteins in the eye which clump together as you get older. This can result in your eye’s natural lens becoming cloudy, leading to blurred or impaired vision. You may also experience dimmed colour vision, light sensitivity, or halos appearing around lights.

What is cataract surgery?

Cataract surgery is a very simple procedure where your eye’s natural lens, which has become cloudy and now impairs your vision, is removed. The procedure is usually complete in 10-20 minutes and begins with the surgeon administering anaesthetic eye drops. These prevent you from feeling discomfort during the surgery. A small incision is made in your eye so that the surgeon can access your cataract. The cataract itself is broken up using ultrasound waves so that it can be easily extracted, before the clear artificial lens is inserted. This restores clear vision. The small incision in your eye begins healing immediately without the need for stitches.

How long does it take to recover from cataract surgery?

We tend to advise our patients that they may need up to a week off work to recover from cataract surgery, but many of them tell us they felt better within a couple of days. In the hours and first day or two after surgery, it is normal to experience a gritty feeling in your eye as it heals. You might also find that your eyes feel a bit watery, with slightly blurred vision, or that the whites of your eyes appear red due to temporary blood vessel damage. However, these symptoms should quickly improve, especially if you take care to follow our top tips for cataract surgery recovery.

Top tips to aid recovery from cataract surgery

Apply eye drops

After your cataract surgery, you will be given eye drops by your Optimax patient advisor. These eye drops serve a couple of different purposes; to reduce your chance of infection following the procedure, and also to provide better comfort levels. Eye drops can help to reduce the gritty, uncomfortable sensation that can come after cataract surgery, so ensuring you follow the guidelines for when to insert which eye drops should help you have a smooth recovery. Before you leave the clinic after your surgery, your patient advisor will talk through each type of drop with you and provide written instructions for drop usage after surgery.

Take painkillers if necessary

As we touched on briefly, it’s completely normal to have some mild discomfort after your treatment. While most patients have a very quick recovery, if you feel that you want to take some paracetamol or ibuprofen, then that’s fine and should help your comfort levels for the first couple of days. In the very unlikely case that you experience severe pain after your surgery, you should call the clinic immediately. We will also provide you with a mobile phone number to directly contact your surgeon on the night of your surgery, in the rare event of you having issues.

Take a couple of days rest

After your surgery, you will be unable to drive until you have been cleared as safe to do so by an optometrist. This means you’ll need someone with you to take you home and you may require some assistance at home. Everyone’s recovery is different but it’s likely that you’ll want to rest with your eyes closed for the first few hours, whether that’s napping or simply listening to an audio book in a dark room. You also shouldn’t do any strenuous exercise or housework for the first couple of days as this can cause your eye pressure to rise, affecting your healing. The optometrist in your Optimax clinic will advise when it is safe for you to drive again and they can also provide guidance on returning to work. It may take as long as a week or two before you begin seeing images in their sharpest focus.

Avoid rubbing eyes

You should try to avoid rubbing your eyes while they recover from cataract surgery. This is for a number of reasons, one of which is you may disrupt the incision which needs to heal following the surgery. Your hands also have bacteria on them from everything you touch throughout the day, so you increase your chance of developing an eye infection when you touch them. Excessive eye rubbing can also increase your eye pressure, therefore hindering your healing process. If you feel discomfort or itchiness during your recovery period, apply extra hydration eye drops to help soothe your eyes.

Be careful around water

Water contains plenty of different types of bacteria which can affect your eye’s healing process, especially when it’s particularly vulnerable after a surgery. For this reason, you should avoid getting water in your eyes for the first week or two following treatment (including avoiding swimming), and your patient advisor will advise you further on this before you leave the clinic after your surgery. To wash, either have a bath and keep your head above water, or have a shower very carefully while keeping your face away from the water. If you feel that you need to clean your eyes due to any stickiness or excess eye discharge, you can do so by dipping cotton wool into boiled water and gently wiping your eyes.

Use eye shields at night

We provide all cataract surgery patients with eye shields to wear for the first day after surgery, and then for the next 7 nights after treatment, or while napping during the day. This prevents you from accidentally knocking or rubbing your eye in the night, thereby disrupting the healing process. Wearing eye shields also minimises the chances of fibres or dust from your bedding entering your eyes, and gives you peace of mind while you’re trying to rest.

Shield eyes from the light

Following your cataract surgery, your eyes will likely feel sensitive to light, which is why we advise that you bring sunglasses to wear on the way home from this clinic. Often, your vision with cataracts will have felt a bit dimmed due to the clouding in your eye’s natural lens, so it’s normal for your eyes to take a while to adjust to the sudden brightness and vibrant colours that come after cataract surgery. Wearing sunglasses also helps to protect your eyes from pollen or small dust particles in the first few days after surgery.

Get in touch!

If you’d like to learn more about cataract surgery at Optimax, you can:

• Book your free consultation
• Give us a call on 0800 093 1110
• Download your free info pack

Don’t let cataracts hold you back – it’s time to restore your clear, youthful vision!