If you are considering or preparing for cataract surgery, you are most likely doing everything you can to make sure you know what to expect before and after the procedure. How will recovery affect your daily tasks and routines? What can you do now to make your post-surgery life easier?

In today’s blog post, we’re going to share about an ordinary task you might not have thought about: cooking after cataract surgery.

Can You Cook after Cataract Surgery?

We advise all of our patients to avoid cooking for at least one week after cataract surgery. After surgery, your eyes will need time to heal. They might be more sensitive than normal, so it’s important to avoid any activities that may cause them any stress. While cooking might be something you enjoy, it’s best to refrain from cooking after your surgery.

There are a few ways that cooking could irritate your eyes as they recover from cataract surgery. When cooking, steam and water could reach your eyes. While this normally wouldn’t be something you have to worry about, it is critical that your eyes don’t get wet for a week after cataract surgery.

Additionally, we instruct patients to keep their eyes from extreme heat, something that is very present when cooking. For these reasons, it’s best to refrain from cooking for at least one week after cataract surgery.

Planning Ahead

If you are the primary cook in your household, or if you don’t want to rely on eating takeout for an entire week, consider preparing freezer meals before your surgery. You can do the cooking ahead of time and simply have a family member reheat the frozen meal when it’s time for dinner. You can enjoy a home-cooked meal without putting your recovering eyes at risk.

If you have absolutely no way to avoid cooking after cataract surgery, we recommend wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes from heat and moisture as much as possible.

Cataract Surgery in Austin, TX

Do you have any other questions about cataracts? Read about cataract surgery side effects, and if you still have questions, check out our cataract FAQs.

Contact us today to learn more about cataract surgery in Austin, TX.