Choosing To Live A Healthier Life

Cataract laser surgery is a fairly minor surgery when compared to other procedures, like hip replacements and open heart surgery. However, cataract laser surgery is surgery, and like all surgeries, it has a recovery time. Here are a few things you can do, along with following your doctor's directions, to make the recovery period after cataract laser surgery as easy as possible.

Arrange Rides

Doctors' specific instructions vary, but most patients who undergo cataract laser surgery have driving restrictions for at least a short time. Not only will you likely not be able to drive the day of surgery, but you likely won't even be able to take a taxi cab home. Someone who can stay with you needs to take you from the hospital or clinic to your house once the procedure's over. Additionally, even once you're legally allowed to drive, your eyes might still be sensitive to light and you may not want to drive.

Because no one knows how long you'll take to fully recover from cataract surgery, you should plan on having someone chauffeur you around for a little while afterward. You can ask friends and family members to drive you places, or you can hire an at-home nursing service that will help you run errands.

To make it easier on the people helping you get around, you can reduce how many places you'll need to go by doing the following:

• scheduling your surgery for a time when you can stay at home for a few days
• asking several people to help out
• running as many errands as possible in the days leading up to the surgery

Go Grocery Shopping

One specific errand you should run before your surgery is going grocery shopping. Go to the supermarket and either buy prepared meals or cook your own meals ahead of time. After the surgery, your vision may be slightly blurry for a little while, which could make cooking challenging.

Additionally, you may not be allowed to bend over after your surgery. Depending on where items are stored in your kitchen, this could make cooking difficult. For instance, it's hard to open most ovens without bending over. Preparing meals ahead of time will let you eat full meals without bending over to cook food after your surgery.

Buy Stool-Softening Foods

Following cataract surgery, it's particularly important to avoid putting any pressure on the eyes. This includes external pressure caused by bumping the eye, as well as internal pressure caused by the blood vessels in your eyes when you strain. Even straining during constipation, which can be caused by medications like aspirin, can put pressure on the eyes.

To reduce the risk of constipation, purchase foods that will keep your stool soft. PelvicExercises recommends the following foods for loosening stool:

• fruits and vegetables (not bananas, see below)
• high-fiber cereals
• chili and curry
• popcorn and chocolate

The site also notes some foods that make stool hard, which would increase the chances of constipation. You should avoid these foods:

• Bananas
• Low-fiber cereals, white rice, white bread and white pasta
• Cheese
• Tapioca, pretzels and white marshmallows

Pick Up Your Home

It's also important to pick up your house before going for surgery. When you come back, you may have to wear glasses that limit your field of view and make things look dark. If there's something on the floor that doesn't belong there, you might not see it and may trip over it.

Of course, you should also follow all of your surgeon's directions as you prepare for your cataract laser surgery. In addition to doing whatever they suggest, also make sure to take care of these four aspects of preparation. It'll make the recovery process easier for you.

For more information, talk with a specialist at an eye clinic, such as Country Hills Eye Center.