After cataract surgery, the eye vision improves within a few days. Vision may be blurry at first as the eye starts healing and adjusts to normality.
Recovery after Cataract Surgery
Frequent doctor’s visit is required after cataract surgery one or two days after surgery, the following week and then again, after a month to monitor healing.
It is normal to have been itching and mild discomfort for few days after surgery. Avoid rubbing or pressing on the eye. Doctor may advice to wear an eye patch or protective shield on the surgery day. Doctor may also prescribe eye drops or other medication to prevent eye infection, reduce inflammation, and control eye pressure. Complete healing occurs within eight weeks.
Contact the doctor immediately, if experience any of the following:
- Poorer vision or vision loss
- Persistent pain even after the use of over-the-counter pain medications
- Increased eye redness
- Light flashes or multiple spots in front of the eye
- Nausea, vomiting or excessive coughing
Most people rely on glasses, at least for some time after cataract surgery. Doctor will tell when the eyes have healed enough to get a final eyeglass prescription.
If have cataracts in both eyes, doctor typically schedules a second surgery a month or two later to remove the cataract in the other eye. This allows time for the first eye to heal before the second eye surgery takes place.
Cataract surgery risks & Complications
Complications after cataract surgery are uncommon, and most can treat successfully.
Cataract surgery risks include:
- Eye inflammation
- Eye infection
- Bleeding
- Swelling
- Detachment of the retina
- Glaucoma
- Secondary cataract
The risk of complications is greater if have another eye disease or other medical condition that affecting any part of the body. Occasionally, cataract surgery fails to improve vision due to the underlying eye damage from other conditions, such as glaucoma or macular degeneration.