It should came to every individual patient’s minds what food not to eat after cataract surgery, it’s necessary to look what you are eating to heal fast from cataract surgery. After cataract surgery most of the people forget what foods to avoid, a proper nutrition required to recover or heal fast within few days, if any wrong food consumed it lead to many health problems like inflammation, infection, blood sugar or slow healing.
In this blog, we will learn about what actually cataract surgery is, which food not to eat after cataract surgery and why it’s important to avoid food
It’s a common surgery proceed worldwide, it’s a medical surgery and treatment of eyes where a cloudy lens called (cataract) is replaced by an artificial lens called intraocular lens (IOL).
Human eye lens are normally clear. when these lens get cloudy, light is blocked and can’t get properly to our retina, in result our visual get blur and unclear. With these cloudy lens we face many daily life problems in reading, writing, driving or watching anything thing on our Mobile or LED screens.
The cloudy lens is separated from eye using ultra sound waves and the process is called phacoemulsification. This surgery take around (15/30 mins) to complete, after surgery you can go home. Within few days your visuals get clear.
Food not to Eat after Cataract surgery
After cataract surgery your eyes are in healing phase. In this phase you need to be extra care about your health and need proper and balanced diet to recover fast. Some unnecessary foods and drinks may lead to inflammation, infections or any other health complication.
List of food not to eat after cataract surgery:
1-Deep-fried foods
After cataract surgery, person should avoid fried food. These food contain unhealthy fats and compound which delay your healing process. During this healing period you need make smart choices to recover fast.
Some deep fried food to avoid:
. French fries
. Fried chicken and Beef
. Fried fish
. Chicken nugget
. Onion Rings
Above mentioned are some of fried food to avoid after cataract surgery.
2-Sugary Foods
Foods without sugar will be smart choice after cataract surgery, taking sugar rich food can lead to inflammation and blood sugar spike. If you are diabetic patient you have to strictly avoid sugary foods.
List of food you should avoid
. Ice cream and Sweet deserts
. Sugary soft drinks
. Sugary breakfast cereals
. Candies and Chocolates
. White bread and refined products
. Packed snacks containing sugar
Avoid these foods can help you to heal fast after surgery.
3- Pre-Packaged foods
Pre-Packaged foods contain sugar, low nutrient content, refined carbohydrate and high sodium, which increase inflammation and healing process slow.
Pre-packed food not to eat after cataract surgery include those that contain:
. Artificial colored or flavored
. Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
. Sugar
. High sodium
. Tran’s fat
. Refined crabs
. Preservatives
For fast healing strictly need to avoid these product after cataract surgery.
4-Spicy food
After cataract surgery if a person consuming spicy foods, these foods can cause eye strain, eye irritation
Spicy food not to eat after cataract surgery:
. Spicy noodles and Snacks
. Spicy curries
. Spicy sauces and peppers
. Spicy pickles
Add mild meals to your daily diet for few days until you are fully recovered.
5-Lightly cooked or raw items
After cataract surgery your body is in healing phase, both lightly cooked or raw items can be unsafe. Both are uncooked and contain bacteria which can cause stomach issues or food poisoning.
What to avoid:
. Raw eggs
. Unpasteurized milk or cheese
. Sushi
. Rare stake
In first two weeks of surgery, avoid lightly cooked and raw product for any health complication, instead of this you should stick with warm, cooked and soft foods for easy recovery.
6-Alcohal
After cataract surgery person should strictly avoid alcohol. Alcohol will interfere with your body and make healing slow, dehydrate the body, interact with medication and raise blood pressure.
After surgery person should stay away from alcohol in first week of recovery, which help you to heal fast.
7- Excessive Caffeine
It’s not forbidden by doctors on using caffeine after cataract surgery but make sure don’t use in excessive amount. Using caffeine in excessive amount will cause dehydration in body, increase blood pressure and affect your sleeping routine, which lead to slow down your healing process.
Caffeine containing food not eat after cataract surgery:
. Coffee
. Caffeinated chocolate
. Soft drinks
. Black tea and Green tea
Having 1-2 cup of caffeine per-day is usual, but overdo may interfere with healing.
8- Foods you’re Sensitive To
Person have to be extra careful after cataract surgery if they are allergic to any specific food or medicine.
What to do:
. Speak to your doctor if you are allergic to something.
. Use specific eye dropper which is prescribed by doctor.
. Stay away from allergic food and avoid unknown food.
. If mistakenly eaten any allergic food, immediately contact to your doctors and tell about situation.
These are the some points you can follow after cataract surgery, which will help you to recover fast.
Recommended Duration for Avoiding These Foods
Most of the people are advised by their doctors, to follow a proper balance diet for 1-2 weeks after surgery which will help you to recover fast.
If a person have any other health issues like diabetes or blood pressure, doctor recommend to follow their guidelines up to a month, until you get fully recover.
Always talk to your doctor, what food not to eat after cataract surgery. If you are unsure about with unfamiliar food, follow the advice recommended by your eye doctor.
What to Eat
After surgery you have to extra care for your health. Every individual with cataract surgery should know, having key nutrients and vitamins in your diet helps heal fast and a better recovery of your eye sight.
Most of people are unaware that what type of food not to eat after cataract surgery and what to eat? Every individual should know having a proper balance diet will help to recover fast from the surgery.
You should add following vitamin rich healthy foods in your diet:
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential after cataract surgery, it maintain healthy visions and support eye tissues to recover. This vitamin repair damaged parts of eye, help lowering inflammation after surgery and protect your body from infections.
(Source) – Eggs, butter, milk, carrot, sweet potatoes, apricot, mangoes and oily fishes.
B Vitamins (B6, B9, B12)
B vitamins play a key roles in energy production and tissue repairs. After surgery it is essential to add B vitamins to your daily diet to heal fast.
B6 support your immune system, B9 helps your damaged tissues to grow and recover, B12 keeps your nerve healthy. Lack of B vitamins in body can lead to tiredness or slowdown healing process.
(Source)- Whole grain, fish, potatoes, banana, leafy green vegetables, dairy products, beans.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C work as antioxidant to support in healing and protect the body from infections. After surgery it is beneficial to reduce inflammation and repair damaged tissues. This vitamin is essential for making collagen, which make eye tissues strong
(Sources): grapes, strawberry, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, and cabbage
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential after cataract surgery, it support your immune system and lower swelling after surgery. It also contribute to muscles and nerves to work better. Lack of vitamin D may lead to slow recovery.
(Sources)- Sun, dairy product (milk), eggs, fish (salmon), beef liver.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is also essential after surgery for preventing swelling and keep immune system strong. It fight with free radical present in our body, which slow healing process.
(Source)- Almond, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, vegetable oil, spinach kale, fish (salmon, trout, mackerel) and eggs.
The Impact of Diet on Postoperative Eye Recovery
After surgery, it’s a time where you have to do extra care on your health and eating the right food in diet can helps to heal fast. During this phase, body need such foods which are rich in nutrition and vitamins to heal itself fast within few weeks.
Every individual should be aware what food not to eat after cataract surgery, having wrong food cause:
. Slowing healing
. Risk of infection
. Increase swelling
. Raise Blood pressure
That’s why having right food during this time period will help you to heal safe and fast.
Conclusion
After cataract surgery human body heal itself, during this time period your body need some essential nutrients and vitamins to recover fast. A person should be aware about what food not to eat after cataract surgery because these interfere with your health and may lead to serious health issues.
Having a proper balance diet regarding what to eat and what food not to eat after cataract surgery helps you to heal you eye surgery safe and fast.