What To Eat After Cataract Surgery?

The food we eat impacts our overall health and helps support our visual health. Eating a nutritional diet after cataract surgery is important for fast recovery and preventing complications. Nutrients in certain foods can help reduce the risks of eye diseases and vision loss and also help promote healing. Incorporating a healthy diet consisting of greens, fruits, nuts, veggies, etc., is the key to a successful recovery post-surgery.

Cataract surgery is a safe, simple, painless, and blade-less procedure involving removing a clouded lens and replacing it with a new artificial intraocular lens (IOL). This aids in improving your vision. Even though it is a non-invasive (involves less trauma to the surrounding structures and tissues) method, recovery post-surgery is crucial. You should follow certain precautions to promote the healing of the operated eye. Recovery post-surgery takes around 4 to 6 weeks and depends on the extent of the damage and the intraocular lens implanted. Diet plays a vital role during the recovery process.

Read on to know more about the diet and which food to eat and avoid after cataract surgery.

Food to Eat After Cataract Surgery

Eating a nutritional diet is essential after cataract surgery because it helps in quick healing and prevents complications. Here are the foods that should be included in your diet post-surgery:

• Vitamin A

• • • Vitamin-A-rich foods are important for vision as they help to maintain the integrity of the epithelial cells of the cornea that are important for vision. Vitamin A also aids in slowing the aging of the eye.
    • Vitamin A-rich foods include:
      • Carrots
      • Spinach
      • Sweet potatoes
      • Kale
      • Broccoli
      • Dairy products

• Vitamin C

• • • It is commonly known as “ascorbic acid”. Vitamin C promotes faster recovery by protecting against the ultraviolet light damage. It also promotes the development of blood vessels and aods in collagen production that helps in faster restoration of vision.
    • Vitamin C rich foods include:
      • Oranges
      • Kiwi
      • Sweet lime
      • Strawberries
      • Papaya 
      • Potatoes
      • Tomato

• Green leafy vegetables

• • • These are rich in iron and prevent anemia (a condition in which there is a lack of healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to body tissues).
    • Foods include:
      • Spinach
      • Lettuce
      • Cabbage
      • Fenugreek

• Fiber-rich foods

• • • Constipation is a common complication post-surgery and fiber-rich foods help to regulate bowel movements.
    • These include:
      • Beans – kidney beans, baked beans.
      • Berries – raspberry, blueberries.
      • Nuts – almonds, walnuts, flax seeds 
      • Lentils
      • Legumes
      • Oats
      • Quinoa
      • Apples

• Spices

• • • Spices like cumin, pepper, ginger, and turmeric help to boost your immune system, which is required after surgery. These possess anti-inflammatory properties and promote early healing.

• Water 

• • • It is essential to consume at least 2 to 3 liters of water post-surgery.
    • Water is essential for metabolism, promotes faster healing from injuries, and effectively eliminates waste from the body.

• Healthy fats

• • • These are important because they aid in the body’s absorption of various nutrients.
    • Foods with healthy fats include omega- 3 rich foods:
      • Avocado
      • Seeds
      • Fish
      • Whole eggs

• Protein-rich foods

• • • These aid in faster recovery by improving the health of your cells. The blood vessels (veins, arteries, capillaries) and other structures of your eye require proteins to function well.
    • Foods rich in protein include:
      • Chicken
      • Salmon
      • Eggs
      • Dairy products
      • Nuts 
      • Seeds

• Carbohydrates

• • These are generally avoided but should be consumed in limited amounts as they provide your body with energy that is essential after any surgery for a healthy recovery. 
  • Some of the csrbohydrate-rich foods include:
    • Bananas 
    • Whole wheat
    • Buckwheat
    • Oats

What Are The Foods To Be Avoided After Cataract Surgery?

You need to be careful to avoid certain foods which may interfere with the healing process, especially if you are diabetic. Avoid the following foods:

• High-sugar foods

• • • Limit your sugar intake since excess sugar may cause difficulty in healing after surgery and cause damage to your blood vessels..
    • Avoid foods like packed juices, honey, fruits with increased sugar content, cakes, pastries, candies, etc.

• Sodium rich foods

• • • High sodium content in foods such as salt can increase your blood pressure which can lead to the development of complications like glaucoma after surgery. High blood pressure can also lead to slow recovery and can affect the functioning of other organs in the body.
    • Avoid foods that have higher salt content like processed foods, canned foods, pickles, etc. 

• Fried foods 

• • Frying in oil, decreases the  nutrient content of the food. Fried foods are unhealthy and not recommended to be consumed after cataract surgery.

Some examples of fried foods include potato chips, samosas, puris, pakoras, etc.

• Ultra-processed foods

• • • Highly processed foods have a high content of sugar, sodium, saturated fats, and other harmful ingredients. The preservatives used in these foods may cause an increase in your blood pressure, which deteriorates the health of your eyes.
    • Ultra-processed foods include fast foods (burgers, pizzas), packed foods (biscuits, cookies), chips, etc.

• Stimulants

• These can interfere with the medications prescribed after cataract surgery. They also keep you awake and prevent your body from getting adequate rest for recovery after cataract surgery.

• • • Caffeine
      • Caffeine present in tea, coffee, and energy drinks should be avoided as it increases your risk for complications and slows healing.
      • Caffeine also increases your blood pressure. It also causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels), which slows down the blood circulation to your eye.
    • Alcohol 
      • Alcohol reduces the effectiveness of your immune system, thus delaying the  healing after surgery.  It may also cause an increase in the swelling and bruising post-surgery.
    • Cigarette 
      • The tobacco present in the cigarette can delay the healing process.

Takeaway:

Cataract surgery is a painless procedure done on an outpatient basis. Nutrition is a key component of your recovery. Food nourishes you and helps your body heal from the stress of surgery. Though there are not many dietary restrictions after cataract surgery, you need to be aware of the foods you should eat and avoid. This is crucial because your diet is important in proper healing and faster recovery post-surgery. It also aids in preventing post-operative swelling, inflammation, and other complications.

Consult our doctors and dieticians at Medfin if you have further doubts about your diet following a cataract surgery.