AFTERCARE

 

You have had small incision cataract extraction with insertion of a foldable intraocular lens (phacoemulsification).

 

IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOUR CATARACT SURGERY

 

1.    Please feel free to ask any questions. I will be happy to discuss the operation with you and your follow up care.

 

2.    You will be given eye drops and other medications prior to your discharge.

 

3.    You should start the drops on the day of your surgery, removing the pad to instil the drops; unless told to do so differently by your surgeon.

 

4.    When you leave the hospital, you will have a pad and shield on the operated eye. You should wear the shield at night for two weeks.

 

5.    Your eye should be comfortable following the operation. You may notice some discomfort or foreign body sensation immediately following the surgery. Mild pain killers e.g. paracetamol or aspirin should relieve any discomfort.

 

6.    On the day of surgery you may experience mild double vision, some watering of the eye and the eyelid may not open completely. These are normal occurrences after this type of surgery.

 

 

 

AFTER YOUR CATARACT SURGERY

 

1.    The day following your surgery, you should not be in pain, but your eye may feel slightly uncomfortable, this will lessen and disappear completely over the next few days.

 

2.    Gently wash your eyelids and remove any debris from your lids.

 

3.    Instil your drops.

 

4.    In the first two weeks, you should avoid strenuous exercise, swimming or getting shampoo or soap into your eye. You must avoid rubbing your eye whilst it is recovering from surgery. You may however undertake moderate aerobic exercise such as brisk walking.

 

5.    Your vision should start to improve in the first few days. If you have good vision for distance, you will not be able to read until you have new reading glasses.

 

6.    You should contact the surgeon if your vision becomes blurred or if your eye becomes painful or red. If your eye becomes painful and you cannot contact your surgeon than you should get in touch with your general practitioner or the casualty department.

 

7.    Driving: This depends on your vision in the other eye and the vision in the operated eye without glasses. You should ask me specifically when you can start to drive.

 

8.    Hair: You may wash your hair following your cataract surgery after 48 hours. You should not however get water or soap in your eye for two weeks following the surgery.

 

9.     You should not play vigorous sports for two weeks following your surgery. You may happily recommence your golf or tennis once two weeks have elapsed. However care should be taken to avoid direct eye trauma

 

10.  Work: This depends on the type of work. If you have a job, which involves manual labour, you should wait two weeks before resuming work. If your work is sedentary, you can resume your job, 48 hours to one week following your surgery.

 

11.  You will be asked to instil eye drops four (or six) times a day for 4 – 6 weeks following the surgery.

 

12.  We usually suggest that you see your optician for new glasses about 4-6 weeks after surgery. I recommend that you see your own optometrist at annual intervals thereafter.

 

13.  It is important that your optician fills in the postoperative outcome form as it will tell us about the outcome following your surgery. The form should than be posted to us at the hospital address.

 

14.  Your follow up appointment is on ………………………………………..

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