Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Eye surgery is always important, no matter the cause. The time it takes for your eyes to recover depends on the type of surgery. However, whether cataract, retinal, corneal or any other type of surgery, you must take time to rest and recover properly.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Eye protection

1. 

   Avoid getting water in your eyes. You may like to splash water on your face because it feels so good, but this can cause infection and make your eyes more uncomfortable after surgery. The amount of time it takes to avoid getting water in your eyes may vary depending on the type of surgery. For example, you should wear eye protection when showering for one week after LASIK surgery (refractive surgery). You need to talk to your doctor for specific instructions.
   • This does not necessarily apply to all types of surgery, so consult your doctor. For example, a little water in the eye one day after retinal surgery probably doesn't matter either.
   • Use gentle action every time you dry your face.

2. 

   
   
   Adjust your cleansing routine. Instead of washing your face by splashing water on your face, wet a washcloth and gently wipe it off. Showering immediately after surgery can be risky as you should avoid getting water dripping into your eyes (except with retinal surgery). Unless approved by your doctor, it is probably safer to take a bath because the water only reaches the neck. When you want to wash your hair, tilt your head back to wet it while keeping your face dry.

3. 

   
   
   Avoid using cosmetics around the eyes. You should not apply any foreign substances to the face around the eyes before getting the permission of your doctor, not only cosmetics but also essential oils and lotions that you use on your face every day. These products irritate the eyes, can progress to infection and be dangerous.
   • You can of course still use lipstick or lip gloss, but avoid any cosmetics that might get in your eyes.

4. 

   
   
   Protect your eyes from direct sunlight. The eye will not be able to adapt quickly to light after surgery. When exposed to strong light, your eyes can be extremely painful and sensitive to light. Therefore, you need to avoid anything that might strain your eyes.
   • When outdoors during the day, wear sunglasses for as long as your surgeon recommends. This can range from three days to a week, but it depends on the type of surgery. You should follow your doctor's instructions.

5. 

   Wear an eye patch while sleeping. In some cases, your doctor may recommend that you wear an eye patch while sleeping for a few days to two weeks after surgery. This is to prevent you from rubbing your eyes during sleep.

6. 

   Avoid smoke and dust. For at least a week after surgery, you should treat any irritants as the source of the infection. Wear goggles if there is a risk of dust getting in the eyes. Smokers should try to stop smoking for at least a week, and wear protective goggles as much as possible to avoid exposure to smoke.

7. 

   Do not rub your eyes. Your eyes may be itchy after surgery, but you may need to resist the rubbing reflex. This action can damage the delicate incision and surface of the eye. Furthermore, bacteria from hands can spread into the eyes.
   • Usually your doctor will give you eye protection, such as bandages or goggles. You can drop out the drops as prescribed by your doctor.
   • Remember to use eye protection for as long as recommended by your doctor. Be careful when sleeping, do not allow eyes to pinch and keep position as advised by doctor.

8. 

   Beware of bacteria. Wash your hands whenever there is a risk of exposure to bacteria: outdoors, when going to the bathroom, walking, etc. Do not go to a crowded place for the first few days after surgery. Your exposure to germs can be reduced if you stay home.

9. 

   Contact surgeon immediately if severe symptoms occur. Inform your doctor about symptoms after surgery and see your doctor on time to minimize possible problems. If you experience symptoms that are common after surgery but are persistent, you should also talk to your doctor. You can record the time when symptoms first appeared. Immediately notify a doctor if you have the following serious symptoms:
   • With cataract surgery: Increased pain, loss of vision or glare / seeing dark spots fly in front of your eyes.
   • With LASIK surgery: Pain increases or vision drops for days after surgery.
   • With retinal detachment surgery: You may see glare after surgery, but this must gradually disappear. If a new flare appears, black spots in front of you increase or lose vision, you should immediately contact your doctor.
   • For all surgeries: severe pain, bloody discharge or vision loss.

10. 

    
    
    Take care of yourself. To stay healthy after surgery, you should stick to a balanced diet that includes lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, milk and fresh juices. Drink plenty of water to help the wound heal. The Institute of Medicine recommends that men drink 13 cups (3 liters) of water, and women drink 9 cups (2.2 liters) of water a day.

11. 

    
    
    Take vitamin supplements. While not a substitute for a balanced diet, a multivitamin can help supplement your diet. In particular, vitamin C can aid in the healing process; vitamin E, lutein and zeaxanthin protect new tissues from harmful free radicals; and vitamin A is essential for eyesight. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends the following daily doses of vitamins:
    • Vitamin C: 90 mg for men; 75 mg for women; plus 35 mg for smokers
    • Vitamin E: 15 mg of natural vitamin E or 30 mg of synthetic vitamin E
    • Lutein and Zeaxanthin: 6 mg

12. 

    
    
    Limit your exposure to computer screens. Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how much time you are allowed to be in contact with the computer screen, depending on the nature of the surgery and your recovery. For example, you shouldn't look at any of the screens after LASIK surgery. Talk to your doctor about how long to limit screen exposure depending on your situation.

Part 2 of 4: Taking medications correctly

1. 

   Use the eye drops as directed. Doctors usually prescribe one or two types of eye drops: antibacterial or anti-inflammatory medications. Antibacterial eye drops to fight infection, and anti-inflammatory eye drops to fight inflammation. If you are having trouble getting your eye care, ask a friend or family member for help.
   • Your doctor may also prescribe eye-dilating eye drops such as atropine to prevent scarring in the pupils and relieve pain. Your doctor may also prescribe eye drops to help relieve pressure in the eye, especially if gas or oil is injected into the eye during surgery.

2. 

   Apply eye drops. Tilting his head back, eyes stared up at the ceiling so he wouldn't blink. Use one finger to pull down the lower eyelid to form a "pocket" underneath the eye and put the drops in it. Close your eyes but don't rub. Wait at least 5 minutes before adding another medicine.
   • Avoid letting the tip of the eye drop bottle touch your eyes.

3. 

   Know how to apply eye ointment. Applying an ointment is like applying eye drops. Tilt your head back and gently pull down your lower eyelid, creating an inner "pocket". Turn the vial upside down and gently squeeze the ointment into the "bag". Close the eye for about a minute to let the ointment seep into the eye and begin to work.

4. 

   Wash your eyes as directed by your doctor. Doctors usually instruct to wash around the eyes twice a day. You can boil the water and let it warm and soak a clean towel in the water to disinfect it. Wash your hands, then gently wipe upper eyelids, lower eyelids, and lashes. Remember to wipe the corners of the eyes.
   • Wash the towels in boiling water or use a new, clean towel each time. Towels must be sterile as the eyes are susceptible to infection after surgery.

Part 3 of 4: Return to normal life

1. 

   Participate in light activities. You can do some light exercise when you get home from surgery. However, heavy activities such as weight lifting, jogging, cycling or swimming should be avoided as directed by your doctor. Weight training and muscle tension increase pressure in the eyes. This pressure can slow healing and even damage healing tissues.
   • Ask others for help when doing heavy work. Your friends and family members will be more than happy to help and will be happy when you recover.

2. 

   Wait for sex. Just like with exercise, you should wait to get back into sex. Any act of exertion can put pressure in the eye, slowing the healing process. You can ask your surgeon when to reverse such behaviors.

3. 

   Do not drive immediately after surgery. Blurred vision after surgery can be dangerous while driving. You should avoid driving until your vision has recovered or with your doctor's permission. In general, you can start driving again when your eyes are able to focus and are no longer sensitive to light.
   • Make sure someone takes you home after surgery.

4. 

   Ask your doctor when you can return to work. Again, recovery time depends on the type of surgery and the person's ability to recover. Some types of surgery require up to 6 weeks to recover. Cataract surgery, by contrast, requires only about a week to recover.

5. 

   Abstain from alcohol while you are waiting for recovery. A glass of wine to boost your mood may sound harmless, but alcohol actually increases the body's tendency to accumulate fluids. Fluid build-up in the eye can also increase pressure on the eye. This will slow down the healing process or cause further damage to the eye.

Part 4 of 4: Recovering from different types of eye surgery

1. 

   Rest for at least 24 hours after cataract surgery. Cataract surgery that removes cataracts (cloudy membrane) usually develops with age. The surgeon will place artificial eyeglasses in the eye. Patients often complain of feeling "foreign bodies" feel in their eyes after cataract surgery. This is usually the dry eye symptom caused by the stitches, the antiseptic used before the surgery resulting in irritation / abnormality / dryness, or the dry eye condition during surgery.
   • The nerve usually takes several months to heal, during which time you may feel strange in your eyes.
   • To deal with these symptoms, your doctor may prescribe lubricating eye drops and antibiotics to prevent infection.

2. 

   Be patient after retinal detachment surgery. Symptoms that caused you to need surgery may last for a while after surgery, but gradually resolve. Surgery is needed to avoid blindness. These symptoms include painless vision loss, such as feeling a masking sensation in the eye; blurred vision or light in the corner of the eye; and suddenly happened the phenomenon of many black spots flying in front of his eyes.
   • This type of surgery takes about one to eight weeks to recover.
   • It may feel a bit painful after surgery, but this can be treated with an over-the-counter pain reliever or ice pack.
   • Black spots flying in front of your eyes or seeing flare will gradually disappear. You should contact your doctor immediately if you notice a flare that did not occur prior to surgery.
   • You may also see silver or black streaks in your vision. This is caused by air bubbles that accumulate and disappear as air gradually gets absorbed into the eyes.

3. 

   Prepare for a long recovery from LASIK surgery. Although the procedure is short, recovery can take anywhere from 2 to 3 months. LASIK is corrective surgery for people with refractive error who must wear glasses or contact lenses. This type of surgery uses lasers to alter the curvature of the cornea, giving the patient a better view. After surgery, you may experience more watery eyes, halos, or blurred images. A burning or itching sensation can also occur, but it is important to try not to touch your eyes. If symptoms become too uncomfortable, report it to your doctor.
   • Doctors usually make a follow-up visit within 24-48 hours after surgery to check for vision and infection. Tell your doctor about any pain or side effects, if any, and schedule follow-up visits.
   • Gradually return to normal activities, but as directed by your doctor. You can apply makeup and lotion on your face after two weeks. After four weeks, you should be able to participate in vigorous activities and contact sports.
   • Avoid rinsing your eyelids, and avoid going to hot baths or whirlpool tubs for 1-2 months or for as long as your eye care professional recommends.

Advice

• There are some post-operative symptoms that you don't need to worry about such as red eyes, blurred vision, watery eyes, feeling of foreign objects in your eyes, or glare. These phenomena will soon disappear. However, you should consult your doctor if symptoms persist.
• Rest much. If you feel your eyes are too tight or too tired, rest your eyes by closing your eyes or wearing an eyepatch.

Warning

• See your doctor as soon as you experience severe pain, bloody discharge, blurred vision or dark spots.
• Talk to your doctor if symptoms are common but persist and do not go away. If possible, note when you have symptoms.