take care of your eyes

Month: January 2023

Understanding the Causes, Symptoms, and treatment of Dry Eyes after Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is a standard and safe outpatient procedure. However, that means patients may have to stay at the surgery center. Cataract surgery is a corrective vision procedure that gives cataract patients clear vision. 

However, like all surgeries, cataract surgery may come with some complications. That may include double vision, blurred vision, or dry eye, which happens if the tears on the surface of the affected eye evaporate quickly.

It is common to have dry eye symptoms after cataract surgery. For example, a trusted study confirmed that 52 percent of cataract surgery participants developed dry eye symptoms after the surgery.

Another report exposed that most patients found dry eye was a side effect after 60 percent of cataract surgeries.

What are the causes of dry eyes after cataract surgery?

The primary reason involves the tear film in the eyes. The tear film is a delicate layer of liquid covering your eye’s surface. It is made of three layers.

The lipid layer stabilizes the tear film. That stops tears from evaporating, keeping the eye surface lubricated and smooth .

Cataract surgery makes the lipid layer thinner. Consequently, the tear film becomes unstable, causing dry eyes.

Dry eyes symptoms after cataract surgery may be related to the following:

  • Corneal nerve damage

Corneal nerves are involved in tear production. Therefore, if the surgery damages your corneal nerve, it can reduce tear production.

  • Light exposure

During cataract eye surgery, the surgeon will use a bright light microscope. The light might reduce goblet cells in the eyes, which lubricates the eye.

  • Inflammation

Inflammation is a response after you have had surgery, including cataract surgery. In this case, inflammation in your eye could decrease tear production.

  • Medicated eye drops

After surgery, you’ll likely need to use medicated eye drops to manage pain and swelling. However, the pain relievers and preservatives in the eye drops might affect healing, which can worsen dry eye.

Are there DIY remedies that can help alleviate dry eyes?

Home remedies may improve your symptoms if you have a mild case of dry eye.

1.       Artificial tears:

Dry eyes need to be lubricated for patients to be in a relaxed state of vision. Therefore, your doctor will likely suggest that you apply something soft and liquid to stop the effects of dry eyes and give you clearer vision after the lens replacement surgery.

Artificial tears do not only work for a clear artificial lens. It can also work for your eyes when the natural lens capsule is still present.

Artificial tears is one of the most effective liquid ever recommended by surgeons. You can use it as eye drops to lubricate your eyes when you feel dry eyes. They are available in a nearby drugstore without a specific prescription.

2.       Sunglasses

Initially, the ultraviolet rays from sunlight were harmful to the lens of your eye. But, the adverse effect of the sun on the eyes will be worse if you have dry eyes. For that reason, people need to wear glasses to protect their eyes when going out during the day after cataract surgery.

Note that eyeglasses are not serving the same functions as contact lenses. Though both can work for cloudy vision, your doctor must prescribe before use.

Wearing UV-protective sunglasses outside after the surgery will protect the eyes from the sun and wind, which are natural elements that affect the lens.

3.       Blinking often

Another trick to help reduce the effect of dry eyes after cataract surgery is to blink when looking at a television screen, mobile phone, or computer.

Ideally, you need to stay away from screens for a few weeks after cataract surgery to aid in quick recovery. But, if you must work on a computer or read on your mobile phone, it is good to make sure you are often blinking. In addition, it can help lubricate your eyes.

4.       Stay hydrated

Water can cure a lot of infections, including dry eyes. In other words, drinking the right amount of water every day will keep you in sound health.

You will feel less irritated in the eyes if you keep your body hydrated by drinking water from time to time. However, dehydration can worsen the symptoms of dry eyes and complicate your already affected vision.

Proper hydration gives you a clear lens and normal vision. It is also a way to prevent infection or avoid serious complications after cataract surgery. 

5.       Nutritional supplements

Ask your healthcare provider to recommend the best nutritional supplements to cure dry eyes. Your doctor would have examined your eyes and suggested the best supplements to ease inflammation in your eyes. common examples of supplements that can help are Vitamin D and Omega-3 acids.

Treatment for dry eyes

You may require medical treatment if you develop severe dry eye symptoms after cataract surgery. Based on the level of eye dryness, an eye doctor may prescribe the following medicines:

  • Cyclosporine eye drops. This medication may help reduce your eye’s surface inflammation after cataract surgery and recovery.
  • Lifitegrast eye drops. This medication can also help minimize inflammation. 
  • Punctal plugs. These plugs are inserted into the tear ducts to avoid tear drainage.

It’s important to remember that prescription dry eye medication may take weeks or months to work. So, you’ll still need to continue artificial tears when you begin taking prescription medication.

When should you see a doctor?

After cataract surgery, you’ll typically have regular checkups with an eye doctor. These checkups will allow the eye surgeon to monitor your recovery progress and look for symptoms of complications.

Visit your eye doctor in between your regular checkups if you experience the following:

  • worsening eye dryness
  • signs of an eye infection
  • severe pain
  • vision changes
  • a painful or itchy sensation

Conclusion

It is common to develop dry eyes after cataract surgery. The reason is that the procedure called manual cataract surgery involves creating a small incision in the eyes to correct the affected lens. Unfortunately, this process can disrupt the tear film, which lubricates the surface of your eye. 

Whereas laser-assisted cataract surgery is safer and more efficient. It addresses the affected lens of your eye and corrects your vision problems. 

Typically, dry eye after cataract surgery is temporary. The complications of dry eye are worse during the first few days and then improve after a month of the surgery. But if the dry eyes persist or damage your vision, follow up with your eye doctor.

Your consistency during every follow-up appointment will determine how fast your eye heals during recovery. If you are consistent, it may take you a few weeks or about a month. Otherwise, you can struggle with double vision problems for almost three months.

As the case may be, your cataract surgeon may recommend that you use a protective shield like an eye patch, eye shield, or contact lenses to protect the operated eye from being exposed to sunlight when going out during the day.

Related: The Thrilling Success of LASIK Surgery

The Thrilling Success of LASIK Surgery

The laser assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery is the safest, most successful, and most well studied elective procedure in the world. It also has the best patient satisfaction rate of any elective procedure that is now available in modern medicine.

If you’ve spent the majority of your life wearing glasses or contacts, there’s a good chance you’ve thought about getting eye surgery LASIK and have been doing extensive study on the procedure. 

During the course of your investigation, you have probably come across internet articles and posts on social media that warn of the potential difficulties of LASIK surgery and sensationalise the potential downsides, side effects, and unfounded figures associated with the procedure. 

There is sufficient disinformation to cause anyone who is considering treatment to reassess their options and come to terms with the fact that they will need to wear glasses or contact lenses for the rest of their lives.

This happens frequently without ever having consulted with an actual trained ophthalmologist in any capacity.

If they had done so, they would have amassed a plethora of information that, without a shadow of a doubt. It would have given them the ability to make an assured and well-informed decision about whether or not to investigate LASIK eye treatment further.

The Thrilling Success of LASIK Surgery

LASIK Reports of Success and Contentment

There have been literally thousands of clinical studies that have been peer-reviewed and focused on patient satisfaction and visual acuity in relation to the eye surgery of LASIK up until this point. 

Since the FDA first gave its blessing to eye surgery with LASIK in 1999, the procedure has undergone significant development. According to additional research carried out by the FDA, LASIK surgery has achieved great success and satisfaction rates. 

Furthermore, recent assessments of the literature from throughout the world discovered the following facts:

  • Over ninety percent of patients achieve eyesight of 20/20 or greater.
  • More than 99% of patients achieve vision that is at least 20/40 or superior.
  • There was a 95% satisfaction rate among patients.
  • Patients undergoing LASIK eye surgery did not show an increase in the overall prevalence of visual complaints such as starbursts, halos, glare, or ghosting.

LASIK eye surgery has been in use for more than fifteen years, and in Australia alone, it has been carried out more than nineteen million times. When compared to wearing contact lenses for a person’s entire life, statistics show that LASIK eye surgery patients have a far lower risk of experiencing substantial vision loss. 

LASIK surgery has the best patient satisfaction rate of any other elective operation; nonetheless, if it were unsafe in any way, this simply would not be the case.

Qualified Surgeons and Eligible Candidates for LASIK Surgery

Although the technology that underpins the eye surgery of LASIK is exceptionally precise and exact, the outcome of the surgery itself is highly dependent on the surgeon who performs it. When contemplating a LASIK eye surgery, it cannot be emphasised enough to search for a refractive specialist that possesses a very high level of expertise. 

To become an experienced ophthalmologist who is adept in providing vision correction treatments calls for a significant investment of both time and effort. to prove that they are worthy of the trust that is placed in them to act in a manner that is beneficial to you and your goal.

At our Vision Centers, the process of assessing LASIK eye surgery candidates and determining who is not a candidate for the procedure is extremely crucial. About half of the time, our medical professionals decline the surgery or offer an alternative solution. 

A patient who is a suitable candidate for LASIK surgery has an extremely low risk of experiencing a complication. This is especially true when the patient is thoroughly examined and treated by a professional and experienced surgeon with the appropriate equipment. 

In addition, prior to surgery, we subject individuals who have previously been authorised to two hours of preoperative testing. Our medical staff does everything in their power to ensure that patients are informed of the potential dangers, taking into account each person’s unique circumstances. 

We ensure that our patients are aware of any risk, regardless of how unlikely it may be by utilising a consent form and informative videos.

LASIK Surgeons Put Their Confidence in the Procedure

Ophthalmologists and laser eye surgeons have such a high level of confidence in the LASIK eye surgery that they choose to have it performed on themselves. 

Surgeons who specialise in eye surgery with LASIK are five times more likely to have the process done on themselves than the general population, and more than ninety percent of surgeons have either advised or performed this laser eye treatment on a member of their immediate family.

One of the most trustworthy pieces of advice that can be given to a patient who is going to have LASIK surgery is to find a surgeon who has been in the patient’s shoes and been through the operation that the surgeon will be performing on them.

Exceptional Professionals Make Use of Expectations LASIK

Laser eye treatment has been performed on a large scale on members of the general public for many years. Thanks to recent technological advancements, the procedure is now highly qualified to meet the exceptionally rigorous requirements of high-level positions in the Australian military, law enforcement agencies, and professional athletics. 

LASIK eye surgery makes use of computer-controlled lasers for eye treatment, which are so accurate and dependable that they meet the stringent criteria necessary for NASA astronauts to undergo the procedure in order to maintain the level of visual acuity essential for them to do their duties. 

LASIK of the Highest Quality, Performed by the Best

If you have nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, the highly qualified and experienced eye specialists at Personal Eyes are able to effectively and precisely correct your vision, no matter which condition you suffer from. 

Lastly

If you are having any question or inquiry about how to have a correct vision, Laser eye surgery, Corneal tissue problems, Lasik surgery, laser beam in healing process, excimer laser usage, refractive eye surgery, laser treatment, laser suite, contact sports, the surgical procedure for refractive surgery or Lasik laser eye surgery – you should get in touch with us via our Personal Eyes website to book your free assessment today.

Related: Understanding the Causes, Symptoms, and treatment of Dry Eyes after Cataract Surgery