Cataract surgery is a relatively low-risk procedure, and it is generally safe to travel by air one day after the operation. However, it is important to attend all follow-up appointments and to avoid long-distance travel for the first week after the procedure. This is to ensure that you can access timely medical care in the rare event of a complication or infection. Additionally, traveling to high-altitude locations, even by car or train, may not be recommended. Altitude will not affect the results of cataract surgery.
However, there are certain types of retinal surgery that prevent you from flying at high altitudes or staying at high altitudes. Your vision may be affected for a week or more while you recover, which can make you uncomfortable when traveling, and if you need eyeglasses or contact lenses, you may have to wait several weeks before you're ready to have an eye test. When you're ready to fly, either a day or weeks after surgery, it may be a good idea to carry a new bottle of unopened lubricating eye drops in your hand luggage, as traveling by plane can cause uncomfortable dry eyes. Stay at approximately the same altitude after surgery until your eye doctor confirms that the gas bubble has disappeared. The complications that FLOMAX can cause with cataract surgery were discovered at the Marin Ophthalmic Surgery Center. In approximately 5-15% of patients who have undergone cataract surgery, a thin film of cloudy tissue forms behind the lens implant.
Today's best lens implants for cataract surgery have special edge treatments to reduce the chance of “secondary” cataracts. If you have holes or wrinkles in your retina, talk to your eye doctor about all travel plans to make sure you can get emergency medical care while you're away. Although rare, serious problems (such as infection) can occur during the first week of surgery, and it is generally recommended to avoid traveling in order to access timely care in the rare event of an emergency.
Expert Advice on Traveling After Cataract Surgery
Cataract surgery is a relatively safe procedure and it is usually safe to travel by air one day after the operation. However, it is important to attend all follow-up appointments and avoid long-distance travel for the first week after the procedure. This is to ensure that you can access timely medical care in case of any complications or infections. When it comes to traveling to high-altitude locations, even by car or train, it may not be recommended.Altitude will not affect the results of cataract surgery but there are certain types of retinal surgeries that prevent you from flying at high altitudes or staying at high altitudes. Your vision may be affected for a week or more while you recover which can make traveling uncomfortable. If you need eyeglasses or contact lenses, you may have to wait several weeks before you're ready to have an eye test. When you're ready to fly either a day or weeks after surgery, it may be a good idea to carry a new bottle of unopened lubricating eye drops in your hand luggage as traveling by plane can cause uncomfortable dry eyes. Stay at approximately the same altitude after surgery until your eye doctor confirms that the gas bubble has disappeared. If you have holes or wrinkles in your retina, talk to your eye doctor about all travel plans to make sure you can get emergency medical care while away.
Conclusion
Cataract surgery is generally safe and most people can travel one day after the operation.However, it is important to attend all follow-up appointments and avoid long-distance travel for the first week after the procedure. Additionally, traveling to high-altitude locations may not be recommended as altitude will not affect the results of cataract surgery but there are certain types of retinal surgeries that prevent flying at high altitudes or staying at high altitudes. When traveling either a day or weeks after surgery, it may be a good idea to carry a new bottle of unopened lubricating eye drops in your hand luggage as traveling by plane can cause uncomfortable dry eyes. Stay at approximately the same altitude after surgery until your eye doctor confirms that the gas bubble has disappeared. If you have holes or wrinkles in your retina, talk to your eye doctor about all travel plans to make sure you can get emergency medical care while away.
