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Recovery timeline

Recovery after cataract surgery: the first days and weeks

Recovery from cataract surgery is quick for most people. Vision is blurred for hours and improves over several days, drops continue for about four weeks, and a short list of activities is avoided until your surgeon clears them.

Last checked: 2026-10-03

Key facts

At a glance.

  • First hours

    Vision may be blurred for hours because of the dilating drops, says the NHS.

  • First days

    Your eye may hurt for a few days, and it may take several days for vision to improve.

  • Drops

    Usually needed for about four weeks.

  • Driving

    Not until your vision is back to normal.

  • Urgent signs

    Sudden floaters, flashes, a shadow or curtain across vision: NHS 111.

What to expect overall

The NHS says most people recover quickly. The operation takes 20 to 45 minutes under local anaesthetic, and you go home the same day with drops and instructions. The details below come from NHS pages, so your own hospital leaflet takes precedence.

If you need both eyes done, they are treated at separate times, so recovery from the first does not delay the second unless your surgeon says so.

Phases at a glance

Typical ranges from the sources named below. They vary between hospitals and people, and your surgeon's instructions override this table.
PhaseWhat is normalWhat to do
First hoursBlurred vision from dilating drops; eye may feel gritty.Go home with a companion; protect the eye as instructed.
Days 1-3Eye may hurt for a few days; vision improving.Use drops as prescribed; do not rub the eye.
Week 1Vision usually clearer; sensitivity to light may persist.Avoid heavy lifting, sport, make-up and water in the eye until cleared.
Weeks 2-4Vision continues to settle; drops continue.Finish the course (about four weeks); attend follow-up.
After dropsFinal glasses prescription is usually considered once the eye has settled; ask your clinic.Book an optician visit when advised.
Months to yearsVision may later become cloudy again (posterior capsule opacification).Report gradual blurring; a short laser treatment may help.

Discomfort and eye care

A gritty, aching or watery eye is common for a few days. The NHS says to use the prescribed drops, which help healing and prevent infection, usually for about four weeks. Do not rub the eye. The NHS lists make-up, heavy lifting, sport and water exposure such as bathing and swimming as things to avoid until you are cleared.

Contact an optician if you notice cloudiness, trouble focusing, redness, pain or sensitivity to light.

Driving, reading and daily life

The NHS says not to drive until your vision is back to normal. In practice the clinic or optician decides when your sight meets driving standards, and an insurer expects you to follow medical advice. Reading and screens are fine when comfortable.

Take care on stairs while the blurred vision lasts, and arrange help with transport on the day.

Most people find the second eye feels easier because they know what to expect, but it is worth remembering that the two eyes may see differently for a while, with colours looking brighter or cooler through the new lens. That mismatch usually becomes less noticeable once both eyes have been treated and any new glasses are fitted.

If you work with screens or in dusty, smoky or chemical environments, ask when it is safe to return, since protecting the eye from irritants matters while it heals. A plastic shield worn at night, if your clinic provides one, helps prevent accidental rubbing in your sleep.

Exercise and swimming

Gentle walking is fine. Heavy lifting and strenuous sport are on the NHS avoid list until the surgeon agrees. Avoid getting water, soap or swimming pool water in the eye until you are cleared.

Follow-up

The NHS says your surgeon will review the eye, discuss removing any dressing and explain pain relief, and that you should attend all scheduled appointments. Ask when you can get a new glasses prescription.

Red flags

  • Floaters suddenly appearing or increasing, flashes of light, a shadow or curtain moving across vision, or sudden blurring: call NHS 111 urgently, as these may signal retinal detachment.

  • Increasing redness, pain or light sensitivity: contact the eye clinic.

  • Cloudiness or poor focus developing later.

Frequently asked

Questions people ask.

Quick, plain-English answers to the questions we hear most.

  • How long is vision blurred?

    The NHS says it may be blurred for hours because of the dilating drops, and it may take several days to improve.

  • How long do I need eye drops?

    About four weeks according to the NHS.

  • When can I drive?

    The NHS says not until your vision is back to normal. Your clinic will advise.

  • What should I avoid?

    Rubbing the eye, heavy lifting, sport, make-up and getting water in the eye until your doctor clears you.

  • Is pain normal?

    Some discomfort for a few days is normal, per the NHS.

  • When should I call 111?

    For sudden floaters, flashes, a shadow across vision or sudden blurring.

  • When do I get new glasses?

    Ask your clinic; it is usually once the eye has settled and you have finished the drops.

  • Can vision go cloudy again?

    Yes. The NHS says posterior capsule opacification can cause cloudiness months or years later.

  • What about the second eye?

    The NHS says both eyes are treated on separate occasions.

Where this comes from

Sources and checking.

This guide is for information, not medical advice.

Your GP or consultant knows your history and can tell you which parts apply to you. If your symptoms are severe, rapidly worsening, or come with red-flag features, seek urgent medical care. Figures and availability change, so treat them as a guide and confirm with the provider.

Published 2026-10-03, next review 2027-10-03.

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