Will I Need Time Off Work After Cataract Surgery?

Have you noticed your vision dimming and suspected it’s due to cataracts? Typically cataracts occur in individuals as they get older. Cataracts are characterized by a clouding of the lens of your eye that can cause colors to look dull and objects to look blurry or fuzzy. Many people actually notice a yellow hue when looking at objects.

As the cataracts on your eyes mature, you may have difficulty seeing and trouble driving at night. Thankfully, your vision can be corrected via cataract surgery at the Marietta Eye Surgery Center at 895 Canton Road NE, Building 200 in Marietta, GA 30060. Cataract surgery involves removing your natural cloudy lens and replacing it with an intra-ocular lens (IOL). According to the NCBI, up to 95% of patients have better vision after the procedure. But what about recovery time and time needed away from your job?

Cataract Surgery Recovery Time

You will be required to use eye drops in your eyes daily for the first 4 weeks after cataract surgery.

If you need cataract surgery, you may be worried about the recovery time. The truth is that most people are able to return to their everyday activities about two to three days after the surgery, which means you may only need to take a few days off work. But let’s take a look at the recovery timeline in detail so that you know what to expect.

Once the surgery starts, you can expect it to take between 10 and 20 minutes. However, some surgeries have been known to last as long as 45 minutes. Once the surgery is complete, you’ll need to remain in the clinic for about half an hour before returning home to rest. It’s important to note that only one eye is completed at a time. If you need the lens replaced in your other eye, that surgery will occur after the vision in your first eye has stabilized. This usually occurs two to four weeks after your first surgery.

24 to 72 Hours After Cataract Surgery

The first 24 hours after your surgery is known as the immediate post-op period. Directly after your surgery, you’ll be handed an instruction sheet on how to care for your eyes and what symptoms to watch for. Most individuals feel slight discomfort, and their vision will be slightly blurry for between 24 and 48 hours, but it should get gradually better.

A follow-up appointment is usually scheduled for the next day. This is so that our eye doctors can examine and test your eyes to ensure that you are healing correctly. After the first 48 to 72 hours, you’ll be able to resume most of your normal daily activities, and most people can resume driving as soon as the blurry vision and halos dissipate. It’s important to note that you’ll be required to put eye drops in your eyes daily for the first four weeks after your cataract surgery.

After the initial recovery period, you may be able to return to work if you have a desk job or work from home. This means that you may only need between 2 and 4 days off from work. If you’re unsure about how much time you need to take off, you can always discuss it with our ophthalmologist.

First Week After Cataract Surgery

You’ll want to take it easy for the first week of your cataract surgery. You should avoid wearing makeup, lotions, creams and perfumes because those products can get into your eye and impede the healing process. You want to avoid bending over as well as any strenuous activities. We also recommend that you wear sunglasses any time you are outside for at least the first two weeks.

Cataract Recovery Weeks 2 Through 4

You’ll notice a gradual increase in your visual acuity throughout the first month of your cataract surgery recovery. Most people are finished with their daily eye drops at the end of week four.

Cataract Recovery Weeks 5 and 6

At weeks five and six, your vision should be stabilized, and you’ll be able to return to all of your post-cataract surgery activities. If you need additional vision correction, our eye doctor can fit you with glasses and/or contacts. This is also the time when you’ll have your final follow-up visit.

Factors Influencing Recovery Time

The exact recovery time after cataract surgery varies with the individual. Factors that contribute to recovery time include:

• Your Age
• Your General Health
• If You Have Any Preexisting Conditions, like Glaucoma or Diabetes
• How Well You Adhere to Your Post-Operative Instructions
• Whether Your Surgery Had Any Complications
• How Much Rest You Received After Your Surgery

How Much Time Off Work Is Needed?

The exact amount of time you need off after your surgery will depend on your occupation. For example, if you work in a manual labor job, you’ll likely have to request off more time than someone who works a desk job or a job that doesn’t require heavy lifting or strenuous activities.

Average Amount of Time Off

Most people can resume their normal daily activities within two to three days. This means that if your vision has cleared and you are no longer seeing halos or distortions around lights, you can resume working from home or a desk job after 72 hours. For individuals who meet these criteria, you may only need to request 3 to 4 days of PTO.

Manual Labor Jobs

For individuals who work manual labor jobs that require heavy lifting or strenuous activities or hazards to your eyes, like dust and debris, they’ll likely need more time off. For these individuals, it’s recommended to request at least one week off and possibly two weeks. If you’re unsure, you’ll want to consult with the eye surgeon.

Jobs That Require Good Visual Acuity

If you work a job that requires precision and good hand-eye coordination, like being a doctor, surgeon or delivery driver, you may need to wait until your vision has stabilized and our doctor has checked your visual acuity. This is because some people still need corrective lenses after their cataract surgery to achieve the best vision. If you work in a field that requires precision, you may need as much as three weeks off work.

Individualized Recovery Timeframes

After three to six weeks, most people achieve vision stabilization and are fully healed. If you’re concerned about taking a lot of time off after your surgery, speak with our ophthalmologist to get a timeframe and to understand what to expect as your eyes heal.

Marietta Eye Clinic’s Role in Your Recovery

At Marietta Eye Clinic’s Surgery Center, we provide comprehensive pre-op and postoperative care. It all starts with your cataract consultation in one of our many locations around north Atlanta. These consultations include speaking with you about the changes in your vision and performing several tests, including a visual acuity test, a slit lamp exam and a retinal exam as well as an eye pressure test. This lets our eye doctors assess the health of your eyes. In addition to these tests, we’ll also take a medical history.

Next, we’ll discuss your surgery options. We offer three levels of cataract surgery, including Standard, Precision and Premium. If you have insurance, most insurance policies cover standard cataract surgery, which includes a monofocal lens. Our precision cataract surgery utilizes the CATALYS® Precision Laser System, which is an advanced surgical technique. You’ll also receive a monofocal lens. Our Premium cataract surgery also includes the CATALYS® Precision Laser System, and you’ll have the option of choosing a toric or multi-focal lens.

We typically recommend the CATALYS® Precision Laser System because it is more precise and offers a faster recovery time. However, our eye surgeon will go over all the available options and answer all of your questions so that you can choose the right method and lens for your needs.

Once your cataract surgery is complete, we’ll provide you with a list of post-operative instructions and schedule a follow-up appointment for the next day. After your initial follow-up, you’ll have several other appointments to make sure that your eyes are healing and that your vision is stabilizing. Once the vision has stabilized, you may be prescribed additional contact lenses or glasses. If your other eye needs cataract surgery, it will be scheduled after your first eye has completely healed.

If you’re ready to have your cataracts removed so that you can see clearly, schedule an appointment or contact us today at  770-427-8111. Our eye surgeons can help you determine if cataract surgery is the right choice for you and help you decide on the type of surgery and lens that best meets your needs.