Tips for Post-Cataract Surgery Care

What to expect the first few days after surgery: 

Your eye may “water” and/or feel as if you have an eye lash in your eye for the first 1-2 weeks. This is completely normal. You may have a slightly red area or bruise on or around your eye. Your eye may enlarge and become mildly redder before fading over the first 3-5 days after your surgery. This is also normal. However, if you have pain that you cannot control with mild analgesics, like Tylenol, rapidly increasing redness or a significant loss of vision, then please notify us immediately. 

Wear for the first night after surgery, and then according to your doctor’s recommendations. Many people are asked to wear the shield when sleeping for the first week after surgery. 

Cataracts and Dry Eyes:

Nearly everyone in the high plains of Colorado has some dry eye issues. Cataract surgery temporarily increases dry eye symptoms. Therefore, you may use lubrication drops between your medicine drops in order to assist the eye in healing faster. If you notice blurring that is improved with blinking, then use the artificial tear drops more often! 

Glasses:

Cataract surgery will usually decrease a patient’s need for glasses. But even with the best technology, some patients will still need glasses under certain conditions. The eye is no longer a young healthy eye. While we can correct astigmatism, nearsightedness and farsightedness to a great degree, we are limited by what powers of lenses are manufactured, what styles are available, and other technologies. The goal is not “perfect” vision, but instead we want to achieve vision that is as useful and as comfortable as one can make it. We do our best to reduce the need for glasses as much as possible.  

Medicine Eye Drops:

Follow the written instructions on the eye drop sheet. Antibiotic drops (tan caps) are most commonly used for one week, and the other drops for about 3 weeks after surgery. Although this may vary between patients. Please wait 5 minutes between drops. You may use your eye as much as desired. 

Vision:

You may use your eye as much as desired. You may notice some “floaters” or some “flickering” of lights in your vision during the first week after surgery. This is because the pupil WILL remain dilated for a few days after the surgery, and the new lens needs to heal into position. It will take about 3-4 weeks for the eye to settle down enough to give a reliable refraction to measure how the eye focuses for possible spectacle needs. During this time, you can wear your old glasses or go without glasses. Neither method will harm or affect the healing of the eye. For reading without your old spectacles, try using some over-the-counter readers for near (usually about +1.50 for a computer and +2.25 for reading a book). Try different things out and do what is most comfortable. Remember that some vision variation and fluctuation in the first few weeks is normal.