The First Few Weeks After Surgery:

• You can bath or shower but avoid getting water in or near your eye.
• Typically, you will have a follow-up visit with your surgeon the day after surgery. Have someone drive you to your follow-up visit. Avoid driving until the doctor has verified that it is safe for you to do so.
• Wear dark, ultraviolet (UV) protective sunglasses when outdoors.
• Your eye may still feel a little gritty and/or sensitive to touch for a few days after surgery.
• It is not unusual to experience glare and halos around lights during the first few weeks after surgery.
• Continue to use your eye drop medications according to the schedule your surgeon gave you. He may recommend frequent use of artificial tears if your eyes are dry. Keeping your eye moist will help it heal faster.
• You should be able to drive, return to work and resume your normal activities within a week.

Further Recovery:

Within 2 – 3 months after cataract surgery, your eye should be comfortable and your vision should be clear. If you have residual nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, you may need prescription eyeglasses. To reduce your need for glasses, a laser vision correction procedure such as LASIK or PRK often can be performed to sharpen your eyesight.

Be aware that a common complication of cataract surgery — called a secondary cataract — can develop 2- 4 months (or longer) after surgery.

It’s important to be patient and not expect perfect vision immediately after cataract surgery. It takes some time for your eye to heal completely. It is not unusual to experience fluctuations in your vision for several days or even a few weeks after surgery.

During your follow-up visits, your surgeon will advise you about how your eye is healing and when your vision has stabilized.

To schedule a consultation with one of our doctors in Billings or to find out more information about recovering from cataract surgery, contact The Eye Clinic Surgicenter at 406-252-6608 or theeyeclinicsurgicenter.com.