After Your Procedure
Recovering After Cataract Surgery
These are the same recovery instructions our surgeons review with you in the office, gathered in one place. For the full overview of the procedure, lens options, and preparation timeline, visit our cataract surgery guide.
What to Expect in the First 24 Hours
- Wear the eye shield until you get home.
- When you get home, remove the shield and use the OMNI drops when it is time. If you get home in the afternoon, you may use them 2 or 3 times for the rest of that day.
- Wear the eye shield at bedtime.
- Keep using the OMNI drops in the morning before your 1-day post-op appointment.
- You may drive 24 hours after surgery if you have legal driving vision.
Follow-Up Visits
You will be seen for a post-operative appointment the day after surgery.
- Have a family member or friend bring you to and from the surgery center and to your 1-day post-op appointment.
- Bring a driver to and from this appointment.
- Bring all eye drops you are using to your appointment.
Questions between visits? Contact our office or request an appointment.
What You May Notice During Recovery
- A feeling that there is something in your eye.
- Mild irritation or discomfort.
- Flickering in your side vision from the edge of the lens.
- A film in your vision from normal swelling or the drops.
- A halo around lights due to dilation.
- Redness on the white of the eye from the laser suction ring.
- It is normal for vision to be blurry or fluctuate for the first few days after surgery.
Activity Restrictions
Daily Care
- Do not rub your eyes.
- Wear your eye shield for 7 nights following surgery.
- Use the OMNI drops according to the schedule provided.
- Wear sunglasses outside, as light sensitivity is expected.
- You may bathe in a tub or shower, but do not get water in the operated eye.
- No eye makeup for 1 week.
Activity Limits
- Do not lift over 25 pounds for 10 days.
- No excessive bending over or strenuous activity for 10 days.
- Heavy lifting, swimming, and strenuous exercise should be avoided for about two weeks.
- Light activities, reading, and watching TV can usually resume the day after surgery.
Travel, Swimming, and Other Appointments
- We prefer no travel for 2 weeks. We ask patients to refrain from travel for 2 weeks after each surgery.
- No swimming or hot tub for 2 weeks. Wear goggles in the ocean.
- There are no restrictions on other doctor, dentist, or physical therapy appointments as long as there is no heavy lifting involved (greater than 25 lbs).
When to Contact the Office
Call us at (703) 766-6165 right away if you experience increased pain, sudden vision loss, significant redness, flashes of light, or a curtain-like shadow in your vision.
- If you have extreme pain or pressure that is not relieved with Tylenol or Ibuprofen, call the office immediately, even after hours.
- If you experience vision loss at any time, call the office immediately.
If your vision becomes cloudy again months or years after cataract surgery, your surgeon may discuss YAG capsulotomy. You can also learn more about your surgeon, Dr. Shaleen Belani, MD.
Frequently Asked
Recovery FAQs
Most patients notice clearer vision within a day or two. Full healing generally takes about 4–6 weeks, during which you will use prescription eye drops and follow simple activity guidelines.