You came home from cataract surgery with a plastic shield, a bag of drops, and a sheet of paper that reads like a list of things you're not allowed to do. Don't bend over. Stay out of the pool. The sheet doesn't say which of those rules matter most, or why any of them are there.
The video below is the walk-through I'd send home with every one of my surgery patients. It's under nine minutes. A good part of it is me showing you how to put in a drop so it lands and how to tape the shield so it stays on. The rest is which rules to care about and when to pick up the phone.
What to listen for
- The morning most people start skipping their drops. It feels like the right call on the day.
- What your drops are doing that you'll never feel them do.
- A full demonstration of putting in a drop, including where your other hand goes and the step after the drop lands that most people skip.
- Whether the drop aids from the pharmacy are worth buying. I bought two and tried them.
- How to tell a bottle is running low before it runs out.
- Three ways people press on a healing eye without noticing they're doing it.
- Which side of the shield points where, and how many nights it stays on.
- The signs that mean call today, and the one thing that matters more than any single symptom.
A few extras the video didn't get to
These are points I had in my notes and couldn't get to on camera.
You don't have to be perfect. Slipping up once or twice will rarely be an issue. You forgot a drop, or you woke up with your hand on your face. One slip like that is very unlikely to undo a good surgery. Things do go wrong after cataract surgery now and then. They're rare, and they're mostly not caused by anything you did. You do need to be careful, and that's all.
The order of the bottles is simple. If you went home with more than one bottle, the medicated drops go in first and artificial tears go in last, with a few minutes between any two drops. That way one drop doesn't rinse out the one before it. The video covers how long to wait.
What the anti-inflammatory drop is guarding. Most eyes heal quietly, and that drop is a big part of why. When inflammation inside the eye goes unchecked, it can lead to swelling of the retina. That's fluid building up at the back of the eye, right where your sharpest vision comes from, and the name for it is macular edema. It's painless, and early on you may not notice it, which is why we check. A scan in the office finds it in a few minutes, and it's treatable, usually with drops for a lot longer and sometimes with an injection. Finishing the drops on schedule is the best way to lower your chance of it.
Keep your scheduled visits, even when the eye feels perfect. A visit where everything looks great is the best kind of visit, and it's still worth the drive. What we check at those exams is the part of healing you can't see or feel from the inside. Feeling great is good news. It isn't the exam.
Other things patients ask about
Driving. You won't drive yourself home. The sedation and the blur on surgery day rule that out, so line up a driver. After that it depends on how well you see. For some people that's the next day, and for others it can take up to a week. If you aren't sure your vision is good enough to drive, say so at your post-op visit and we'll check it.
Dusty or dirty places. A healing eye does better in clean air. For the first week or two, stay out of places that kick up dust or dirt: a construction site, a dusty garage or attic, yard work on a dry, windy day. Surgeons differ on how long, so go by what yours tells you.
Showering and washing your hair. Both are fine the day after surgery. Don't rub the eye or press on it while you wash, and when you dry off, pat your face and go around the eye. The video covers what to do about the water itself.
Sunglasses. Your eye lets in more light than it has in years, and bright sun can be uncomfortable for a while. Sunglasses outdoors take care of the glare. Look for a pair labeled for full UVA and UVB protection. How long you'll want them is its own question, and it has its own page: how long to wear sunglasses after cataract surgery.
Work and plans. Build your calendar around the first week. Take the days off you need, and don't put a trip on top of surgery day or your first follow-up visits. If you're flying soon after, read how soon you can fly after cataract surgery. If your surgery is still ahead of you, the cataract surgery guide covers the day itself.
When to see an eye doctor
A scratchy, watery eye, some light sensitivity, and vision that comes and goes a little are all part of the first few days. They should ease a bit each day. If blinking is the part that bothers you, this page on eye pain when you blink explains what's going on, and your surgeon will tell you roughly what to expect as the eye heals.
Some things don't wait for the scheduled visit. Pain, redness, or vision that's getting worse instead of better, new discharge, or a burst of flashes and floaters: call your surgeon's office that day.
Common questions
When can I drive after cataract surgery?
Not on the day of surgery. The sedation and the blur rule it out, so you'll need a driver to get home. After that it depends on how well you see, and eyes recover at different speeds. For some people that's the next day, and for others it can take up to a week. If you aren't sure, ask at your post-op visit and have your vision checked before you get behind the wheel.
When can I wear eye makeup after cataract surgery?
It's usually about two weeks without eye makeup, and your surgeon's timing is the one to follow. Makeup and the brushes that put it on carry bacteria, and a healing eye is more vulnerable to infection right now. When you start again, use clean brushes, don't share your cosmetics with anyone, and be gentle around the eye when you take it off at night.
How long do I wear the eye shield after cataract surgery?
Every night for about a week, and for naps too. If your surgeon said two weeks, it's two weeks. It's for sleep only. Awake, you'd never press on a healing eye. Asleep, you roll onto that side, or your hand comes up on its own. The opening at the edge of the eye seals itself, but for the first week it isn't strong yet. The shield keeps you from rubbing or bumping the eye in your sleep.
Can I bend over after cataract surgery?
Try not to for the first week. When your head drops below your heart, the pressure inside the eye goes up, and the opening from surgery is still fresh. If something is on the floor, bend your knees and keep your head up, or let somebody else get it. Lifting does the same thing, so keep it light that week. If your surgeon gave you a weight limit, that's your number. Bending once won't undo anything. Making a habit of it that week is what to avoid.
Where to go from here
If you're in your first week and the eye is a little better each day, this page and the video are all you need. If it's been a few weeks, you followed the rules, and your vision still isn't sharp, that's a different question with its own short list of causes: Blurry Vision After Cataract Surgery: Urgent or Can It Wait?
Reviewed by Hussain Elhalis, MD · September 21, 2026