Staying active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle—but after eye surgery or an eye injury, it’s essential to understand when it’s safe to return to your routine. Certain activities can interfere with healing or raise your risk of complications.
Below are general guidelines to help you navigate exercise after common eye surgeries and conditions. Always follow the personalized instructions from your Eye Associates of South Texas ophthalmologist before resuming any physical activity.
Exercising With Cataracts
Is it safe to exercise if you have cataracts?
Yes. Exercise will not worsen cataracts. However, if cataracts significantly affect your vision, activities like running, biking, or playing sports may become unsafe due to poor visibility. If your cataract does not limit your vision, you can typically continue your normal fitness routine until it’s time for surgery.
When to Resume Exercise After Cataract Surgery
Cataract surgery restores clear vision by removing your cloudy natural lens. To support proper healing, your surgeon will recommend temporary activity restrictions such as:
-
No swimming for up to 4 weeks. Water exposure can introduce bacteria and increase risk of infection.
-
No strenuous exercise. Activities that elevate your heart rate significantly can raise eye pressure and disrupt healing.
-
Avoid lifting heavy weights or straining.
-
Avoid bending at the waist, such as in certain yoga or Pilates positions.
Light exercise—like walking—may be allowed soon after surgery. Wear wraparound sunglasses to protect against light sensitivity, dust, and debris. Your surgeon will let you know when higher-intensity exercise is safe to resume.
Exercise After Posterior Capsulotomy
A posterior capsulotomy (YAG laser) is a common follow-up procedure after cataract surgery to improve cloudy vision. Most patients can resume normal activities right away, but you should still confirm with your ophthalmologist.
Eye Injuries and Exercise
If you experience an eye injury—such as a corneal laceration, corneal ulcer, or globe rupture—your eye becomes more vulnerable to further damage.
During recovery:
-
Avoid all exercise, especially contact sports.
-
Do not swim. Water exposure increases the risk of infection, including from microbes like Acanthamoeba, which can enter through openings in the cornea.
Always seek clearance from your ophthalmologist before returning to any form of physical activity.
Glaucoma and Exercise
Exercising with glaucoma
Moderate, regular exercise is generally safe and beneficial for people with glaucoma. But exercises that involve extreme exertion or straining can raise intraocular pressure (IOP), potentially harming the optic nerve.
Avoid or modify the following:
-
Prolonged head-down yoga positions, such as:
-
Downward-facing dog
-
Standing forward bend
-
-
Weightlifting while holding your breath. Breath-holding dramatically increases IOP.
After glaucoma surgery:
Activity guidelines vary depending on your procedure:
-
Laser procedures: Usually no restrictions, but follow your surgeon’s instructions.
-
Trabeculectomy or glaucoma drainage implant:
-
Avoid swimming and water exposure to the eyes
-
No lifting, bending, or straining
-
Light treadmill walking may be permitted
-
Exercising After LASIK and Other Refractive Surgeries
To protect the cornea while it heals:
-
No swimming or water exposure for at least 2 weeks.
-
Avoid strenuous workouts and contact sports for up to 1 month.
-
Wear sunglasses outdoors, even when cloudy, to shield your eyes from UV light and airborne debris.
Retinal Conditions and Exercise
Can I play sports with a retinal condition?
Conditions such as lattice degeneration, high myopia, or posterior vitreous detachment can increase your risk for retinal detachment. Activities involving rapid acceleration, head trauma, or whiplash movements pose additional risk.
Avoid the following unless cleared by your retinal specialist:
-
Boxing, kickboxing, and combat sports
-
Bungee jumping
-
Bumper-car rides
-
Skydiving
If you’re cleared to play sports like basketball, racquetball, or soccer, wear protective eyewear to reduce the risk of injury.
How exercise benefits retinal health
For patients with conditions linked to systemic health—such as macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy—exercise can help improve overall wellness and may slow disease progression by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.
Seek immediate care if you notice new floaters, flashes of light, or sudden vision changes.
Resuming Exercise After Retinal Surgery
Retinal surgery recovery often requires special precautions. General guidelines include:
-
No strenuous exercise for 1–2 weeks. Light walking may be allowed—ask your surgeon.
-
No swimming or water exposure for 1–2 weeks.
After anti-VEGF injections (e.g., Avastin, Eylea), avoid water exposure for 48–72 hours. -
No flying, high-altitude activities, or scuba diving if you have a gas bubble in your eye. These activities are restricted until the bubble safely dissolves.
Always follow your surgeon’s individualized recommendations.
When in Doubt, Ask Your Eye Doctor
Every patient heals differently, and your type of surgery or eye condition determines when it’s safe to get back to exercise. For personalized guidance and expert care, consult your ophthalmologist. Call (830) 379-3937 to schedule with an Eye Associates of South Texas specialist. Source: aao.org
