Resuming Exercise After Eye Surgery
- Posted on: Jun 23 2021
At
Pamel Vision & Laser Group in New York City, patients visit us for a variety of procedures, from LASIK to lens implants to cataract surgery. And many of them ask the same question: “Can I exercise after my surgery?”
Dr. Gregory Pamel suggests waiting at least a week or two before resuming any exercise, and adds the following advice:
No Swimming
If swimming is your favorite form of exercise, you should probably find a substitute activity for a while. In the first two weeks, your eye will be irritated by exposure to water. In the subsequent weeks, you need to avoid lakes, oceans and other bodies of water because they often have bacteria that could infect your eyes. Similarly, you should avoid pools and hot tubs because the chlorine can burn your ailing eyes.
Dodge Potential Injuries
Part of the reason to lay off exercise for a period is the increased potential for an eye injury. Any sport where there is a chance of a ball, elbow or any foreign object hitting your eye can cause serious and permanent damage to your eye post-surgery. It is best to play it safe while you recover.
Be aware that exercise risks go beyond aggravating your eyes. Because your vision is diminished for some time after your surgery, that makes you more liable to, say, jog into a tree or cycle into a car. Keep yourself safe by resting and relaxing for the prescribed amount of time.
Do Not Get Strenuous
After a couple of weeks you may be ready to resume some physical activity, but avoid pushing too hard. While moderate exercise should have no effect on your eye health, overexertion puts additional pressure on your eyes, which can do damage. In particular, lifting heavy weights increases ocular pressure, so you will want to avoid that for a month or two.
Mind Your Stretches
Admittedly, yoga is not usually considered strenuous exercise, but you should be mindful of what poses you choose. It is important to keep your head above your waist during recovery since bending too low will put added pressure on your eyes. For that reason, temporarily skip the downward dog and child’s pose — the same goes for toe touches.
Ask Dr. Pamel
Since many factors depend on the type of eye surgery you undergo, Dr. Pamel will discuss the specifics of physical activity ahead of your treatment. At your follow-up appointments, Dr. Pamel will check on your progress, and you may ask questions about potentially adjusting your exercise timeline based on that assessment.
To schedule a consultation to discuss any issues regarding eye surgery, call the team at Pamel Vision & Laser Group at 212-355-2215.
Posted in: Cataract Surgery, Eye Health, LASIK
