Having surgery of any kind can be daunting, even if it’s a common procedure with minimal risk. It’s not just going into the surgery that can cause some to worry, but also how well the recovery period will go for them afterward. Cataract surgery, for example, is a procedure that a lot of people have been through to help improve their vision, but it can leave you feeling some mild discomfort for a few weeks after the procedure while they heal. If you or someone else you know is due to have cataract surgery, below are some tips to help you get through the recovery stage as quickly and comfortably as possible.
Get Some Rest
The best thing to do when recovering from any surgery, injury, or illness is to get plenty of rest. Even if you don’t feel particularly tired, overexerting yourself will only result in your recovery period taking longer than it needs to, and your body needs to preserve its energy to help it get stronger and back to normal. Whether it’s taking naps throughout the day or simply relaxing on the couch, make sure that you’re getting plenty of rest after your cataract surgery.
Use Your Eye Shield When Washing Your Hair
Your doctor will send you home with all the correct medications to aid with your recovery, but they’ll also give you an eye shield as well. You might not need to wear this all of the time, but if you’re going to wash your hair in the shower, then you certainly should. This will keep water and soap out of your eye so that they don’t interfere with the healing process and make you more comfortable. You should also wear it at night for about a week after the surgery.
Pain Medications
Your doctor may have prescribed you pain medication after the surgery, and you should always only take this as instructed by a medical professional. However, if you haven’t been prescribed pain medication, you can use over the counter options to help ease any discomfort you may be experiencing. Ask your doctor or the pharmacist for recommendations.
Use the Eye Drops and Clean Your Eye
You should also make sure that you’re taking the eye drops as instructed by your doctor during your recovery period to make sure that everything heals properly. Cleaning the area where you have had surgery is also a must, but avoid using soap or shampoos to do this as it will irritate the area. Instead, boil some water and allow this to cool down; then with clean hands, dip some cotton wool into the water and gently wipe from the inside corner of your eye to the outside. Don’t clean inside your eye or wash it out with the water, and avoid applying pressure when you’re doing this.
Contact Lenses
Finally, once your eye has healed from the surgery, you might want to look into getting specialist contact lenses if you use them afterward. Your surgeon might be able to give you more information regarding these lenses, and you can look up cataract surgery near me to find a reputable surgeon to help you with this.
If you or someone you care about preparing for cataract surgery, remember these recovery tips to help this process be more comfortable.
