Welcome. My name is Ariana and I work as a medical assistant at an army base. My main job is to make sure that there are no hidden health risks for our seemingly fit army personnel. One of the biggest issues I uncover is eyesight problems. I have discovered that a lot of people think that there is no need to visit an optometrist unless their eyes are sore or vision is blurry. This myth can be found in the army too. In the course of my work, I have learnt that many eye problems have no symptoms for a long time. I am always encouraging family and friends to go for annual eye checks. I have become so passionate about this issue that I started this blog to explain how optometrists can help you keep the best vision possible. Please scan through my entries. Enjoy.
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Understanding The Symptoms And Treatment Approach For Cataracts 22 February 2023
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Why Does an Optometrist Blow Air into Your Eyes? 11 April 2022
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5 Signs Your Child May Need Cataract Surgery 7 June 2021
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Laser Eye Surgery Preparation Tips 28 October 2020
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3 Steps To Help Your Loved One Through Cataract Surgery 17 October 2019
Eye On The Target: How Optometrists Help Your Eye Health
3 Steps To Help Your Loved One Through Cataract Surgery
Akseli Takala
Perhaps you have an elderly parent going in for cataract surgery. Or maybe it's a close friend or family member. As the primary caregiver, you can make the preparation and after-care process heaps easier if you know exactly how to react and what to do. These steps will show you how to help your loved one through cataract surgery.
Learn What Should And Should Not Be Done In Advance
Like any other surgery, some infection and bleeding risks are involved. For this reason, the doctor needs to know every medication the patient takes because they may need to be stopped for some days before the surgery. This will help to reduce the chance of any bleeding or infections after the surgery. Your loved one may also be asked not to eat or drink anything in the hours leading up to the surgery. Make sure you help them follow this advice to give them every chance of success. If the doctor needs to run any tests to measure eye size and the cornea shape, this may need to be done in advance, so you may need to accompany your loved one to a doctor's appointment before the surgery to support them.
Find Out Exactly What You Need To Do Post Surgery
Once the surgery is successful, your work is not complete. You need to help your loved one recover with minimal risk of complications. For example, the doctor may recommend certain antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drops to be administered a few times a day immediately after the surgery. You may need to help the patient get these drops properly into their eyes. You may also need to ensure other prescribed medications are taken to minimise any infections. Your loved one may need to wear glasses or a shield to keep the eye protected – make sure they follow instructions.
Keep Your Loved One Away From Tedious Tasks
Once your loved one returns home after the cataract surgery, it's important to prevent them from doing any strenuous activities because this could hurt their recovery process. For example, bending over to pick up something from the ground can increase pressure on the eye, which could delay recovery. Lifting heavy objects or getting in front of a hot stove directly after surgery will also make recovery a lot harder than it should be. You can help them avoid these tasks so they can heal and get back to normal as quickly as possible.
Use these steps to get your loved one through cataract surgery so they feel good as new quicker.
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