Training Your Eyes After Cataract Surgery 

Cataract surgery is something that pretty much all of us will undergo at some point in later life. Data has shown that, by the age of 80, every American will either have cataracts or have had them operated on. The simple procedure that we call cataract surgery is a true wonder of modern medicine—because cataracts that are allowed to evolve without intervention will eventually cause blindness.

So… You’ve been given a date for that all-important op! You’re excited and nervous in equal amounts. You’re also keen to do everything you can to shorten the recovery period and benefit from great eyesight once again.

Thankfully, training your eyes after cataract surgery isn’t as complicated as you might think. In fact, what you actually need to do may come as a rather big surprise…

Everything You Need to Know about Training Your Eyes After Cataract Surgery

• The brain-eyesight connection
• No training necessary
• Fastidious post-op care

The brain-eye connection

Eyesight works by light entering the eye and being sent to the brain via the optic nerve. Here, the signals are translated into the images we see. Much in the same way as a baby gradually learns how to understand the world around it, our brain takes a little while to adapt if we suddenly change something about how these signals are transmitted.

In other words, when you have cataracts, the brain becomes accustomed to receiving tainted information. The light signals don’t have smooth passage because the cataract prevents this.

Therefore, when we remove the diseased cataract lens and replace it with an artificial one, the brain has to learn to process this new, uninterrupted flow of information.

No training necessary

This brain-eye connection is why people mistakenly think that you need to “train” the eyes to see again. In fact, there’s nothing you need to do apart from using your eyes as normal. It’s why you’re told to start reading, watching TV, using computers, etc., within 24 hours of having a cataract op.

Other normal activities that are actively encouraged include:

• Doing crosswords, sudoku, or any puzzles that force you to focus on close-up objects.
• Shift your gaze from near to far vision.
• Tracing the horizon with your eyes.

This is all the training necessary to teach the brain to understand and translate the unimpeded light signals it’s now receiving. If you have advanced IOLs (intraocular lenses) implanted, then the more you use your eyes, the faster your brain will adapt to the new signals it receives.

Fastidious post-op care

Far more importantly, the most vital thing you can do to fast-track your recovery is to follow your post-operative care instructions to the letter. 

This includes:

• Using your eye drops as instructed.
• Not touching or fiddling with your eyes.
• Wearing the provided eye shield during sleep and naps for the first week or so.
• Not lifting anything heavy or carrying out any strenuous exercise for the few weeks following the op.
• Taking gentle daily exercise, such as walking, after about a week to enhance blood flow and stimulate the healing process.
• Not wearing eye makeup for a few weeks.
• Not getting any water into the eyes.

Together, such post-operative care will ensure you get the fastest results from your cataract surgery. With eyesight being the most important of all our senses, taking a few weeks to promote the healing process is one of the best things you can do to improve your quality of life.

Training Your Eyes After Cataract Surgery and Other FAQs… Get the Answers from the Modern Cataract Surgery Clinic

Some of the most consistent feedback we get from patients who’ve undergone cataract surgery at the Modern Cataract Surgery Clinic (apart from how happy they are with their improved eyesight) is how well-informed they were. This includes all the details you need to prepare for the op, knowing what will happen during the procedure, and all the post-op care. 

From understanding when the right time is to have the operation to training your eyes after cataract surgery, patients benefit from curated care every step of the way.

Discover more about why we’re often touted as the best eye clinic in the country at https://www.moderncataractsurgery.com and call us today for more information.