Plan to take one to three days off work to make sure you have enough time to rest, but it's normal to resume most normal activities in a couple of days. It's okay to resume simple activities, such as reading, watching TV, writing, and walking, as soon as you feel like doing so after eye surgery. This usually happens 3 to 4 days after surgery, but your doctor will need to give you permission to drive beforehand. When you get home, you can take off this shield after a couple of hours or so.
However, do not discard the protector, as it must be used while you sleep for 4 to 5 days after surgery. Another important precaution is to avoid strong, flickering lights for at least the first 24 hours after cataract surgery. Be sure to follow your post-operative care instructions carefully, such as using prescription drops regularly, unless you opt for cataract surgery without drops instead. You have a greater chance of experiencing complications after cataract surgery if you are an elderly person or a woman.
Recovery from cataract surgery should be brief and uncomplicated, as long as you follow the postoperative instructions you receive from the surgeon and attend all recommended follow-up visits with your eye doctor. Most people recover from cataract surgery within eight weeks, and some patients recover in as little as four weeks. You can increase your chances of recovering quickly from cataract surgery if you follow all postoperative care instructions and attend follow-up appointments with your doctor. Many people recover from cataract surgery without problems, but they may have mild to severe complications.
Overall, recovery from cataract surgery is relatively minimal, but there are some precautions that are important. For the best possible recovery from cataract surgery, follow your doctor's detailed instructions on how to protect your eye after the procedure. However, you should take some precautions for about the first week or so to ensure that you avoid any complications during recovery from cataract surgery. Regardless of the type of cataract surgery you choose, there are some simple strategies you can use to facilitate your recovery process.
Cataract surgery without eye drops is an innovative procedure that can dramatically shorten recovery time. An eye surgeon can tell you more about the procedure and decide if you are a candidate for cataract surgery without drops. Full recovery from cataract surgery should take place in about a month, when the eye is fully healed. Your doctor may recommend wearing an eye protector, eye patch, or eye bandage after cataract surgery.
Rarely, complications from cataract surgery that endanger vision can occur, such as endophthalmitis, an inflammation of the inside of the eye, which is usually caused by an eye infection.