Cataract surgery is one of the most common and safest surgical procedures in the United States, with more than three million surgeries performed each year. Before undergoing cataract surgery, it's important to understand the pre-operative instructions, including what foods to avoid. Your doctor may recommend that you temporarily stop taking any medications that may increase the risk of bleeding during the procedure. It's best to have a light breakfast up to 4 hours before cataract surgery, but it's important to avoid caffeine and dairy products on the day of surgery so that you don't have to go to the bathroom frequently.
Processed foods and junk food should also be avoided before surgery. These types of food can prevent healing and damage vision, as they are high in sugar, salt, fat and calories. Getting enough antioxidants in your diet is essential to reducing the risk of cataracts. In addition to avoiding certain foods, it's important to limit your consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages before cataract surgery.
Patients should not drive home after cataract surgery because the brain may need a few hours to adapt to the new vision. If you're ready to see if cataract surgery is the best treatment option for you, contact us at Heart of Texas Eye Care for a free consultation. Fortunately, cataract surgery is a safe and effective eye care solution that can have life-changing results for people who have lost visual acuity due to cataracts. Cataract surgery is usually an outpatient procedure, which means that you don't need to stay in the hospital after surgery. Cataract surgery involves removing the natural lens where the cataract is present and replacing it with an artificial lens. Sometimes, even though patients know that they will be given intravenous sedation, they still don't understand why fasting is necessary before eye surgery for cataracts.
Unfortunately, if a patient arrives for cataract surgery after breakfast, surgery has to be postponed, which can be very inconvenient for both patients and doctors. With proper pre-operative instructions and a balanced diet, most people will still need glasses after cataract surgery at least some of the time. However, vision will improve significantly (especially from a clarity perspective). If you're considering cataract surgery, contact us at Heart of Texas Eye Care for a free consultation.
