Within the first week to one month after cataract surgery, your body will most likely be adjusting to the surgery and you will probably feel like resuming most of your normal activities. Please be sure to consult your doctor, however, as your individual situation may differ.

Within the First Week

How Will I Feel? Your eye may still feel a little sensitive and scratchy, though this should be diminishing rapidly. Any glare or halos you may have seen should also be diminishing.

What Should I Do? Resume your normal daily activities with the exception of water sports and anything that involves heavy lifting.

You may still be tempted to use your old glasses. Since your new lens works to correct distance, and in some cases, reading vision, your old prescription glasses may be out of date.

If you are in good health, your doctor will most likely advise that it is okay to resume sexual activity and exercise, even heavy exercise, after one week.

What Should I Avoid? It is still important to avoid rubbing your eye or getting anything in your eye, even water, during the first week. Your doctor will probably still advise that you should not wear eye makeup.

Within the First Month

How Will I Feel? Your eye will probably have fully recovered by now. Your brain will be continuing to learn how to work with your new IOL to help you achieve your optimal vision. If you have dry eyes, your physician may choose to administer some mild dry eye therapy (eye drops) to ensure you are as comfortable as possible and your vision is as good as possible.

What Should I Do? Return to your doctor for your follow-up visit.

If your doctor advised that you have cataract surgery in your other eye, this is most likely when that surgery will occur.

If you received a monofocal IOL and are not having surgery in your other eye, this is the time when you will be fitted for your new eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Challenge your vision. Your doctor has probably cleared you now to engage in a full range of activities, and the more you challenge your eyes and brain to work together, the more likely it is that you will enjoy the full benefits of your new intraocular lens(es).

What Should I Avoid? If your doctor determined that you need cataract surgery on both eyes, it is important that you refrain from judging the overall success of the surgeries until both eyes and your brain have learned to work together to achieve optimal vision. While some aspects of your vision may have improved immediately, like color perception, it may take a few weeks and possibly up to 2-3 months for you to see the final results of your surgeries.

The recovery process described here is meant to be representative of most cataract procedures, which occur without complications. Individual results may vary. No information contained here is intended to substitute for a physician's advice. Always consult with your physician regarding any specifics about your recovery.