What to Expect After Cataract Surgery

What to Expect

At Swagel Wootton Eye Institute, our cataract surgeons in Arizona use the latest advanced technology to ensure that your recovery time goes as smoothly as possible. Learn more about what to expect during recovery and what you can do to avoid complications. 

How Long Does Cataract Surgery Take?

Cataract surgery is fast and minimally invasive. The procedure takes 30 minutes to one hour for both conventional and laser cataract surgery. You can go home following the post-op recovery period and do not have to stay overnight at a hospital. 

Symptoms During Recovery

Your eye will need a few days to a week to adjust to the Intraocular Lens used to replace your damaged lens. The eye may take up to a month to fully recover. Clients report the following symptoms at this time:

• Irritation, itchiness and soreness
• Difficulty seeing in bright light
• More tear production than usual
• Blurry vision as your eye heals and adjusts

Call us immediately if you have any questions or if the symptoms persist more than a few days.

Recovery Best Practices

During the roughly four weeks of recovery time, most patients notice that their vision becomes clearer. To help the healing process go smoothly, adhere to any instructions and tips the doctor gives you. Also, avoid the following activities:

• Don’t drive the first day after your surgery
• Avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activity
• Avoid bending over, which puts pressure on your eye
• Avoid sneezing or vomiting immediately following surgery
• Don’t walk around until you feel confident you can avoid running into things
• Stay out of the pool and hot tub the first week following surgery
• Avoid exposure to dirt, dust, wind and pollen for a few weeks.  Safety glasses can protect your eyes as they heal.
• Don’t rub your eyes. 

Within a few hours after surgery, you should be able to shower, watch TV or work on the computer. However, carefully avoid putting your eye under the shower where water pressure can become an issue. 

Additional Surgical Interventions

Our cataract surgeons in Arizona operate on one eye at a time. If you need surgery on both eyes, we schedule a follow-up appointment to see if your eye is healing as expected. If there are no issues, we can schedule your procedure for the second eye. 

It’s possible that you may develop secondary cataracts due to scar tissue. Typically, we can resolve this via a YAG laser capsulotomy to remove the scar tissue around your IOL.

Call Swagel Wootton Eye Institute at (480) 641-3937 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. We will explain your options and let you know if you are a good candidate for cataract surgery in Chandler or Mesa, AZ.