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Training your Eyes after Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery can be truly life-enhancing. Removing the diseased lens from the eyes and replacing it with an artificial lens (known as an intraocular lens, or IOL) can bring incredible results. There are many different types of lenses to choose from. These include those that work like mono-focal glasses, varifocals, ones that correct astigmatism, those that work with the muscles of the eye to change the focus… The best type for you will be decided by you and your surgeon before you undergo treatment.However, post-op you will need to train your eyes to adjust to their new sight abilities. The following looks at why this is so, how to do it, and how long it will take to achieve the desired results.

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

  • Why is there a need to retrain your eyes?
  • Easy steps to training your eyes after cataract surgery
  • The typical time to achieve results

Why is there a need to retrain your eyes?

Vision works by light signals entering the eyes and being sent to the brain. Here, they’re translated into what we call sight.The brain becomes accustomed to what it considers usual—and as cataracts develop over many years, it adjusts to these very, very gradual changes. When you have cataract surgery, the signals the brain receives change instantly. Therefore, teaching it how to correctly interpret these is necessary. AKA, training your eyes after cataract surgery.

Easy steps to retraining your eyes after cataract surgery

While it might sound like a big deal, it’s really simple to retrain your eyes after you’ve undergone an operation for cataracts.It’s highly unlikely that you’ll have both eyes operated on simultaneously. This is partly because of the recovery and retraining period. But it’s also because cataracts tend to evolve at different rates. So if one eye is ripe for an op, the other probably won’t be so for at least a few months—or even years.So… Post-op you’ll most likely be home within a few hours. You’ll have a patch over the eye initially, but this will only need to be worn continuously for the first 24 hours. After that, it’ll only be needed when you sleep or nap (to prevent you from accidentally rubbing it).Retraining the eyes begins almost as soon as you get home—and it’s really easy. All you need to do is look at stuff! In other words, you should:

  • Read
  • Watch the TV
  • Change your visual distance regularly (look at things nearby and then far away)
  • Use a computer/tablet/cell phone
  • Trace the horizon with your eyes

All of these regular activities are all you need to do to successfully train your eyes after cataract surgery.

The typical times to achieve results

While some people experience an immediate improvement after their cataract operation, many have a few days or weeks before this becomes reality. This might be blurred vision, seeing halos around lights, or experiencing glare. However, rest assured that, over time this will improve.While it might take some people many weeks (or even months) to experience the ultimate improvements that cataract surgery can bring, the average person will notice huge benefits within days or a few weeks.The more advanced the IOL, the longer you might need for the eye-brain link to optimize.

The WBEC Provides all the Info Needed for Training your Eyes after Cataract Surgery

When you entrust the West Boca Eye Center with your cataract surgery, you’re assured of the ultimate care pre, during, and post-op. We’ll provide you with all the information necessary to benefit from the speediest recovery. This, combined with the latest cutting-edge treatment and the world-beating care from our clinicians, is the reason so many people travel to take advantage of our care.Discover more at https://westbocaeyecenter.com/services/cataract-surgery/

Training your Eyes after Cataract Surgery
Training your Eyes after Cataract Surgery

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Specializing in modern cataract surgery.

Located 1/2 miles North of West Boca Medical Center on Glades Road, directly behind Macy's Furniture Gallery.

West Boca Eye Center
9325 Glades Road, Suite 201.
Boca Raton, FL 33434

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