Dry eyes
After this type of surgery, almost all patients experience some kind of dryness in their eyes. A small number of nerves on the eye’s surface gets cut when the surgeon makes the incisions required to reach your lens.
The nerves are part of the feedback circle that conveys to your vision to produce tears for lubrication. The nerves typically heal in about three months. But until then, your eye might not feel when it’s dry and reduce tear production.
And if you had dry eyes before your surgery, you can experience even more dryness after that. This cataract surgery risk can cause light sensitivity, discomfort, and blurry vision. If you experience mild dry eye, over-the-counter, preservative-free artificial tears can help.
Be sure to wait 5 minutes after applying the prescription drops before using the tears so that the medicine is not diluted. Call your ophthalmologist if artificial tears don’t provide enough relief. They can suggest other possible fixes to get you through this period.
