Cataract Post-Op Guidelines
Post-operative information will be issued by your surgeon to your referring practitioner or optometrist to enable them to be involved in appropriate post-operative care management as required.
A visit to your regular optometrist 4 – 6 weeks following the procedure is recommended, (unless otherwise advised), so that glasses may be prescribed.
Your immediate recovery
We strongly recommend that you have a responsible adult with you for 24 hours after the surgery. It is also recommended that at least 1-2 days is taken to recover from the surgery including:
- No driving for at least 24 hours
- No rubbing your eyes for 3-4 days
- No swimming, gardening or use of makeup for at least 3 days
You can return to normal activities when you feel comfortable to do so, including activities such as watching television, reading and writing, and moderate exercise. You may experience a variety of symptoms in the early stages that are not serious and should resolve over a matter of days. These include:
- Shimmering
- Occasional floating spots
- Blue or pink tinge to colours
- Fluctuating vision
- Occasional light flashes
- Gritty sensation
- Crescent shaped shadow in the side vision
Post-operative consultations are important. The first post-operative day visit is vital. For the majority of people, the visit after one week can either be combined with visits for the second eye procedure or be performed by phone with our experienced clinical staff. Certain circumstances require a visit to the clinic after one week. We will be able to advise you about this.
It is also strongly recommended that you see your regular eye care practitioner after 4-6 weeks and again on a 1-2 yearly basis following your surgery. This ensures you receive comprehensive eye care throughout your lifetime.
In the event you have other eye conditions being treated by other eye practitioners we encourage you to continue having regular review appointments with your treating eye care professional. Should you not have an existing eye care professional, our clinical staff would be happy to provide ongoing care for conditions within the sphere of our expertise or make recommendations for other specialist practitioners.