topic Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving in Wellness

Cataract Surgery/Driving

sillycat — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:08:44 GMT

For those of you who have had the surgery. Would I be able to drive 2 days after the surgery?

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

patbz — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:10:24 GMT

If it's your first eye; two days would be pushing it; if it's your second eye, no problem!

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

violann — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:11:09 GMT

I did, but the answer to your question is really up to your doctor.

I notice that there is a LOT of difference of doctor’s input on this.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

FrostyBabe1 — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:12:41 GMT

Every individual is different, so it's best to consult your doctor about what is right for you.

I drove the day following my surgery, but I only had one cataract that was caused by a surgery to fix a detached retina. My other eye was fine.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

CinNC — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:12:46 GMT

After I had my first one done, I needed to have somebody drive me to my post op visit the next morning........and then the doctor cleared me to drive.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

Hooty — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:14:21 GMT

I did not, but again, do what your Dr. says, I would certainly keep the eye covered with sunglasses, because you are still putting drops in!

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

Kachina624 — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:14:50 GMT

I drove to a dental appointment the afternoon after my morning surgery. They did say not to drive due to the sedation drugs for the rest of the day, but I had no one to take me and I felt fine so off I went. There were no other restrictions on driving.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

KingstonsMom — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:18:17 GMT

@CinNC wrote:
After I had my first one done, I needed to have somebody drive me to my post op visit the next morning........and then the doctor cleared me to drive.

@CinNC

Me too.

Just make sure you have some 'good' sunglasses, as my eyes were pretty sensitive to bright sunlight.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

lulu1 — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:24:39 GMT

With my first eye, I was legally cleared the next day but it was suggested I wait another day or two.

I had my second eye done this AM. My follow-up is tomorrow morning. Already I am so much better than I was after the first eye.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

SeaMaiden — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:26:12 GMT

Sure. As soon as the eye wakes up from surgery you can drive just fine. You just do not want to do any heavy lifting, exercise... or bump your head or rub your eye for a couple of weeks.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

hckynut — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:36:10 GMT

@sillycat,

I was able to comfortably and safely drive, later the day of both of my surgeries.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

Mz iMac — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:39:05 GMT

@sillycat wrote:
Would I be able to drive 2 days after the surgery?

Only your doctor can answer that question.

Not everyone recovers the same. I recently had medically induced cateracts on both eyes removed 2 weeks apart from each other. For a month, I am on restricted driving. Meaning no highway driving.

After your surgery you should have been given Ray Charles sun glasses (that's what I call them). Strongly suggest that you wear them until you are comfortable w/o wearing them.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

sophiamarie — Mon, 14 May 2018 17:00:46 GMT

In a normal situation, you can actually walk out of surgery and drive yourself home. BUT, not every situation is the same.

I could have driven home if allowed - but of course, they would never allow that.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

jlkz — Mon, 14 May 2018 17:47:38 GMT

May depend on the type of anesthesia you had and your ability to metabolize it.

If you feel up to it, make sure you have the cataract sunglasses they provide you....and that you can see sufficiently well with them. And, depending on how long you are out, take your eye drops with you !

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

Meowingkitty — Mon, 14 May 2018 18:45:26 GMT

I had my left eye done almost 4 weeks ago and they told me I was fine to drive but I didn’t feel comfortable driving because my vision in my other eye was something like 20/1000. Yes that bad. I didn’t think it was the smart thing to do with my vision so off kilter so I played it safe. I would say if your vision isn’t that bad in your other eye you most certainly can drive the second or third day. I had my second eye done last Wednesday and I was driving on Friday. You will most likely be a bit blurry for 24-48 hours after surgery. Make sure you wear good sunglasses.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

Perkup — Mon, 14 May 2018 18:58:30 GMT

To drive or not to drive is up to your surgeon. If you choose to drive without his or her authority to do so, you run a risk of legal issues if there is an accident - even the most minor one. We have an eye surgeon in the family and he confirms this. Driving without medical authority puts you at risk.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

millieshops — Mon, 14 May 2018 19:01:54 GMT

EVeryone saying consult the surgeon is correct - she/he knows your eye and the procedure she expects to use. Still, until the surgery has been completed, a competent surgon should say in the answer to your question - " NORMALLY I SAY" and then whatever time suggested.

A huge percentage of cataract surgery is highly successful, but no one knows who might be in that small percentage where it's not. If I had something super important to do 2 days after the procedure, I'd have a transportation back-up

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

Perkup — Mon, 14 May 2018 19:23:11 GMT

You can always postpone a SECOND. appointment until you can see your surgeon about the sensible time between surgery and driving. If you have something that you can't change, get a taxi or an Uber. Do not simply decide you know best. YOU DON'T.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

Carmie — Mon, 14 May 2018 19:27:20 GMT

I drove to the office the next morning for my follow-up visit and then I drove to work right after with my doctor's permission.

I had no down time.

Re: Cataract Surgery/Driving

lulu1 — Tue, 15 May 2018 14:34:48 GMT

It was repeated several times during my pre-surgery assessment, you may not drive until the surgeon clears you. After surgery they would not release me until my driver was called into the post surgery area. I was told (no less than 3 times) I needed to be driven to my post-operative appointment the next day.

UPDATE

I had my post op appointment this AM. I can now drive.