Cataract surgery is a surgery in which the doctor will go into your loved one’s eye and remove the cloudy lens created by a cataract and replace it with an artificial lens. While it seems a bit scary to have surgery on the eye, cataract surgery is a simple surgery that usually only takes about an hour and doesn’t cause a lot of pain. And once it’s done and your loved one is completely healed, she’ll see the world much better. Sometimes colors will even be brighter.
But despite that it’s an easy procedure, there are still certain precautions your loved one will need to take after the surgery to ensure that her eye heals perfectly. As her loved one, if you are nearby, you will be able to care for her and help her heal. But if you don’t live nearby and your loved one lives alone, you might consider hiring a professional in post hospital care. A post hospital care provider can step in after any type of procedure and help ensure your loved one receives the care she needs during recovery.
After the surgery, here are five activities your loved one might need to avoid.
- Driving. First, your loved one will need a ride home from the clinic where the surgery was performed. If you are not available, you can look at scheduling a ride service for her or if you have hired a post hospital care provider for her, you can have them start by picking her up at the clinic.
- Strenuous Activity. Your loved one should plan on taking it easy for a few days after her cataract surgery. Activities that require heavy lifting and strenuous pushing or pulling (like mowing the lawn) should be avoided so that undo pressure isn’t placed on the eye area.
- Bending Over. Like strenuous activity, bending over, and putting her head below her knees can increase eye pressure and interfere with the incision area. Having someone like a post hospital care provider help with putting on her shoes can help reduce this risk.
- Swimming. Your loved one will want to avoid having her eyes submerged in water for at least a week, maybe two. Exposure to water can create the risk of infection or irritation to the eye area. After 24 hours, showering should be okay, but your loved one should try to avoid putting her eyes directly into the streaming water.
- Bright sun or irritants. The eye will be especially sensitive for a bit to not only dust and debris but sunlight as well. The doctor may send your loved one home with wraparound sunglasses to protect her eyes from both irritants and the sun. She may also receive an eye shield to wear at night to prevent her from scratching or rubbing her eyes while she sleeps.
These tips, along with the assistance of a post-hospital care provider, will help your loved one heal quickly from her cataract surgery and be seeing the world through a whole new lens.
If you or an aging loved one are considering post hospital care in Hackensack, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Applause Home Care today. Call (201) 326-8051
Applause Home Care provides independent, non-franchised quality Home Care for elders and families in and around Fort Lee, Hackensack, Ridgewood, Wyckoff, Paramus, Glen Rock, Pompton Plains, Franklin Lakes, Westwood, Montvale, and Fair Lawn, New Jersey.
- 5 Emergency Readiness Tips For Seniors Aging In Place - July 25, 2024
- How Often Should Your Senior Mom Be Drinking Water? - June 26, 2024
- How Alzheimer’s Care Can Help Your Senior Parent - June 11, 2024
