- What is a typical cataract surgery recovery time?
Don’t be alarmed if your vision seems cloudy, blurry or distorted when you first remove the eye shield. It can take some time for your visual system to adjust to the removal of the cataract and adapt to the intraocular lens used to replace your eye’s natural lens. - During this adaptation period, some patients even report seeing “wavy” vision or distortions. This phenomenon, if present, should last only an hour or so.
- You may also develop red and bloodshot eyes because of temporary damage to blood vessels on the “white” of your eye (sclera) during cataract surgery. As your eye heals, the redness should dissipate within several days.
- If you received an injection of anesthesia through the skin into the lower portion of your eye, you may notice some bruising similar to a black eye. This, too, should fade within a few days.
- Many patients report clear vision within several hours after cataract surgery. But each person heals differently, and you may need as long as a week or two before you see images in their sharpest focus.
- Typically, you will have a follow-up appointment with your cataract surgeon the day after the procedure to make sure there are no complications. If you don’t notice any improvement in blurry vision or you feel eye pain or significant discomfort in the days following this visit, you should report this to your surgeon.
- Sometimes people report some dry eye or “scratchiness” after cataract surgery. These sensations should subside as your eye heals, unless you already had problems with dry eyes prior to having the procedure.
- Your full cataract surgery recovery should occur within about a month, when your eye is completely healed.