Avoiding Elevated Eye Pressure After Cataract Surgery
During your cataract surgery, your ophthalmologist will remove the cataract and insert a clear intraocular implant inside the eye. Cataract surgery is a very common and safe procedure and is performed under local anesthesia. To enhance the healing process, it is essential to keep your eye pressure from rising too high following your surgery. While rises in intraocular pressure are common following cataract surgery, your doctor may recommend the following interventions to keep eye pressure spikes at a minimum.
Finish Your Eye Drops
Your eye surgeon will prescribe eye drops following your cataract surgery, which may include anti-inflammatory medications and ocular beta-blockers to help keep intraocular pressure from rising too high. It is essential that you finish all of your all drops, however, and if you are unable to properly instill them, ask a family member or friend to help you.
Persistent high eye pressure may increase your risk for glaucoma, which can rob you of your eyesight. If you develop sudden eye pain, a severe headache, or vision loss following your eye surgery, call your doctor right away. While postoperative complications from cataract surgery are very low, the aforementioned symptoms need to be evaluated by your physician.
Avoid Strenuous Exercise
Your eye doctor will also tell you to avoid strenuous exercise following your cataract surgery to help eye pressure low. In addition to strenuous exercise, you may also be advised to avoid stooping, lifting heavy objects, and climbing stairs. While it is acceptable to stoop down to pick something up off the floor or to quickly tie your shoes, prolonged stooping is discouraged. Strenuous activities such as swimming and lifting weights should be avoided for a few weeks or more after your eye surgery to make sure that your eye has completely healed.
Light aerobic exercises such as taking a leisurely walk or walking on a treadmill may resume after a few days following your surgery, or as recommended by your eye doctor. Before resuming your exercise routine, even mild exercising such as walking, talk to your doctor about it at your initial postoperative office visit.
If you experience blurred or cloudy vision, see halos around bright lights, or if colors seem less vibrant, make an appointment with your eye doctor because these signs may indicate the presence of cataracts. Once your cataracts are removed and intraocular lens implants have been inserted into your eyes, your vision will dramatically improve and you may even be able to see without wearing glasses.