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The Best Sleeping Position After Cataract Surgery: What You Need To Know For A Successful Recovery

December 17, 2024/0 Comments/in Cataract Surgery /by Armadale Eye Clinic Team

Cataract surgery is a highly common and effective procedure that helps restore clear vision. If you’ve recently undergone cataract surgery or are preparing for it, you may be wondering about the best sleeping position after cataract surgery.

It’s an important aspect of the recovery process that is often overlooked but vital in ensuring optimal healing.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know—from the healing process and recovery period to different sleeping positions after cataract surgery.

We’ll also walk you through the procedure, helping you understand what to expect as you navigate your recovery journey.

Why Is Sleeping Position Important After Cataract Surgery?

Your body needs rest to heal, and this is especially true after cataract surgery. While most people recover quickly, maintaining the correct sleeping position is essential for a successful recovery.

The right sleeping position will:

Prevent putting pressure on your operated eye during rest.
Minimise the risk of infection and other unwanted complications.
Promote faster healing by resting in a position that supports your eye’s recovery.

The Best Sleeping Position After Cataract Surgery & Other Practices To Follow

Choosing the right sleeping position after cataract surgery is crucial for a smooth recovery. Here’s a detailed yet easy-to-understand guide on the best practices for sleeping after your procedure:

Sleep On Your Back

The ideal sleeping position after cataract surgery is on your back. This prevents direct pressure on your healing eye and minimises the risk of disturbing the surgical site.

Sleeping on your back also allows for optimal airflow and reduces the chance of rubbing or hitting your eye in your sleep.

Avoid Sleeping On The Side

If you prefer sleeping on your side, avoid sleeping on the same side as your operated eye.

Sleeping on this side may cause unnecessary pressure on your healing eye, leading to irritation or even increasing the risk of infection.

Train yourself to sleep on the opposite side after cataract surgery, or use pillows to keep you in place.

Use A Protective Shield

To further safeguard your eye, your doctor will likely provide a protective eye shield you should wear while sleeping, especially during the first few days post-surgery.

This shield will prevent accidental contact with your eye and ensure that nothing presses against it while you rest.

How Long Should You Maintain Your Sleeping Position?

The first week after cataract surgery is the most critical time for healing. During this period, you should prioritise your sleeping position to avoid putting pressure on the healing eye.

For many people, a full recovery can take several weeks. After cataract surgery, your eye doctor will guide you on how long you need to maintain these specific sleeping positions.

Still, most patients should follow these recommendations for a few weeks.

The Healing Process: What To Expect Exactly During Recovery

Cataract surgery recovery is generally straightforward. Patients should notice improvements in their vision within a few days of surgery. However, the complete recovery process can take a few weeks.

During this time, carefully following your doctor’s post-surgery instructions is crucial to ensuring a speedy recovery.

Initial Days Post-Surgery

For the first few days after cataract surgery, you’ll likely experience some blurriness in your vision and mild discomfort, redness, or irritation.

Your ophthalmic surgeon will prescribe eye drops to help reduce inflammation and prevent infection. Make sure to use these as directed.

One Week Post-Surgery

Most people experience significant improvements in their vision by the end of the first week. However, you should continue wearing your eye shield at night to protect your healing eye.

Complete Recovery

A complete recovery typically takes about 4–6 weeks, depending on your overall eye health and how well you follow post-surgery care instructions.

Attend all your follow-up appointments during this time. Your ophthalmic surgeon will monitor your progress and ensure that your healing is on track.

What To Avoid During Recovery

In addition to adopting the right sleeping position after cataract surgery, there are other things you should avoid to ensure a smooth recovery:

Stay Away From Strenuous Activity

Heavy lifting or strenuous exercise can increase eye pressure, which may interfere with healing. Wait until your ophthalmologist gives you the green light before resuming these activities.

Avoid Hot Tubs And Swimming Pools

Exposure to water, particularly in public pools or hot tubs, can increase the chances of infection. It is best to avoid these for at least a couple of weeks after surgery.

Limit Screen Time And Watching TV

Too much screen time can strain your eyes, especially in the early stages of recovery. Until your eyes have healed, try to limit your use of electronic devices and avoid long hours of watching TV.

Avoid Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol can interfere with your prescribed medications and dry out your eyes. While an occasional drink might not pose a problem, it’s best to check with your doctor about alcohol consumption during the recovery process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cataract?

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in your eye that leads to decreased vision. Cataracts are common, especially as we age, and they affect millions of people around the world each year.

Can I drive after cataract surgery?

You should avoid driving until your vision has stabilised. Your doctor will tell you when it’s safe to drive, typically within a week post-surgery.

What should I do if I experience discomfort after cataract surgery?

It’s normal to experience mild discomfort and fluctuations in vision during the initial recovery period. However, if you have concerns or notice substantial changes, such as increased pain, redness, or decreased vision, contact your eye doctor immediately.

Summary: Best Practices For Sleeping After Cataract Surgery

Sleeping position after cataract surgery is a critical but often overlooked aspect of the recovery process.

You can ensure a pleasant and successful recovery by sleeping on your back or the opposite side of your operated eye, wearing an eye shield, and following your doctor’s post-surgery care instructions.

Rest is key after this surgical procedure, but being mindful of your eye health throughout the healing period is equally important. Take the time you need to allow your eyes to heal properly; soon, you’ll enjoy clearer vision again.

If you have questions about cataract surgery, recovery, or the best practices for caring for your eyes post-surgery, don’t hesitate to reach out! Our team of experienced eye care professionals is here in Melbourne to support you every step of the way.

Contact Armadale Eye Clinic today at (03) 9070 5753 to learn more about how we can help you achieve the best possible outcomes for your eye health!

Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

Sources:

Clista B 2024. 8 Activities to Avoid After Cataract Surgery. GoodRx. Available at: https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/eye/what-activities-should-be-avoided-after-cataract-surgery [Accessed October 16, 2024]

Koprowski B 2023. Finding A Sleeping Position After Cataract Surgery. Medical News Today. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sleeping-position-after-cataract-surgery [Accessed October 16, 2024]

Mukamal R 2022. Cataract Surgery Recovery: Exercising, Driving and Other Activities. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Available at: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/safe-exercise-driving-cataract-surgery-recovery [Accessed October 16, 2024]

NHS 2021. Recovery. NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cataract-surgery/recovery/ [Accessed October 16, 2024]

cataracts vs glaucoma melbourne

Cataracts vs Glaucoma — Differences Between 2 Eye Conditions

March 31, 2023/0 Comments/in Oculoplastic Surgery /by armadaleeye

Most people have heard of glaucoma, and you’ve almost definitely heard of cataract surgery, but what’s the real difference between cataracts vs glaucoma? Both cataracts and glaucoma are reasonably common eye conditions but are also very distinctly different. Keep reading to find out what you should know about cataracts vs glaucoma.

Cataracts vs Glaucoma

What are cataracts?

Cataracts are an opacity or haze in the crystalline lens of the eye. At birth, this lens is nice and transparent (barring congenital cataract). However, over the course of time or due to other factors, the lens can become cloudy or develop opacities that block the transmission of light through to the light-sensing retina. The only definitive treatment for cataracts is cataract surgery.

In most cases, cataracts are associated with increasing age and are an entirely normal development. These are known as age-related or senile cataracts.

Cataracts can also be present at birth (congenital cataracts) or be due to other causes such as ocular injury or infection, as a complication of surgery for something else such as a retinal detachment repair, or linked to other diseases such as diabetes.

The symptoms of cataracts can be difficult to identify as they’re somewhat non-specific – that is, other diseases can cause similar symptoms.

In the early stages, cataracts don’t cause any significant symptoms at all. However, as the cataract progresses and the opacities become denser, or the lens becomes cloudier overall, you may begin to notice symptoms such as:

Hazy sight
Poorer contrast sensitivity
Increased difficulty reading in dim lighting
Increased glare sensitivity
Increased difficulty driving at night
Changes to your colour perception
Frequent changes to your spectacle prescription

Cataract surgery is typically not indicated until these symptoms become bothersome and can no longer be managed with something simple such as updating your glasses or using a reading lamp.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a type of optic neuropathy, which refers to a disease of the optic nerve. The optic nerve is responsible for carrying neural impulses from the retina to the visual areas of the brain. Damage to this nerve, even if every other part of your eye is healthy, would result in impaired sight.

Most cases of glaucoma are due to an elevated pressure of the eye, known as intraocular pressure. Elevated intraocular pressure is always present in a type of glaucoma called angle closure glaucoma. However, another type of glaucoma, open-angle glaucoma, can occur even in the presence of pressures within normal range; this is typically termed low tension or normotension glaucoma. All therapies for glaucoma, including glaucoma surgery, are aimed at reducing the intraocular pressure in order to protect the optic nerve.

There are almost no symptoms of glaucoma, which is why a significant proportion of adults are thought to be unaware that they’re developing the disease. Concerningly, glaucoma results in a slow, progressive, and permanent loss of sight. This loss begins in the periphery of your field of view. If glaucoma surgery or other glaucoma treatment is not initiated in time, your visual field could constrict into tunnel vision or result in total loss of sight.

The exception to this is acute angle closure when the intraocular pressure spikes very high. This can result in a painful, red eye, haloes around lights, and is associated with nausea and vomiting.

Cataracts vs Glaucoma Treatment

For the treatment of cataracts, cataract surgery is the only option. Cataract surgery is the most common ophthalmic procedure in the world. During this operation, an incision is made in the cornea under topical anaesthesia. Through the incision, tools can be inserted to access the cataract to fragment it into smaller pieces, which are then removed from the eye. An artificial intraocular lens is inserted in the place of your natural lens. One of the benefits of cataract surgery, other than getting rid of the cataract, is that the intraocular lens can be calculated to correct your eye’s prescription. This means that you can be free of glasses and contacts after your cataract surgery, whether for far-distance sight, near-reading sight, or both.

Conversely, glaucoma surgery doesn’t tend to be the first-line treatment for glaucoma. Instead, many patients with open-angle glaucoma are commenced on pressure-lowering eyedrops rather than glaucoma surgery. If eyedrops are ineffective or cause intolerable side effects, a laser procedure tends to be the next option before glaucoma surgery is considered. This laser procedure aims to stimulate increased fluid outflow through the eye’s drainage channels, which reduces the intraocular pressure. In some situations, cataract surgery can also be an effective treatment for glaucoma because extracting the cataract assists in increased fluid drainage. If this is the case, your surgeon may suggest cataract surgery even if your cataracts are not particularly symptomatic.

If eyedrops and laser therapy are both ineffective at slowing or stopping the progression of optic nerve damage, your ophthalmologist may recommend glaucoma surgery. Glaucoma surgery encompasses a number of procedures, such as inserting a shunt or stent or creating another channel to encourage the outflow of aqueous fluid and reduce the intraocular pressure.

Because nothing can restore sight that is lost from glaucomatous optic neuropathy, it’s important to initiate appropriate treatment as soon as possible, whether with eyedrops, laser therapy, or glaucoma surgery. As with all surgical operations, glaucoma surgery can be associated with some risk of complications, such as inducing inflammation or the intraocular pressure dropping too low. However, if your surgeon believes glaucoma surgery to be the best option for you, it will only be if the benefits of managing glaucoma and preserving your remaining sight outweigh the potential risk of complications.

Contact us now on (03) 9070 5753 for a consultation.

Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

References

What’s the Difference Between Glaucoma and Cataracts?
https://www.healthline.com/health/glaucoma-vs-cataracts

Current Options for Surgical Treatment of Glaucoma.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5712968/#:~:text=Filtering%20surgery%20in%20glaucoma%20is,(IOP)%20then%20medical%20treatment.