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Regular Contributor
Posts: 198
Registered: ‎06-27-2013

Re: What is complete recovery time after cataract surgery?

I know two people who recently had cataract surgery who had very different outcomes.  One person had his and his vision was so blurry he could NOT see the next day.  When he went for his check up the next day he could not even see the biggest letter on the eye chart.  It was a few days until he could see clearly. The second eye was not as bad the next day but still blurry. It was four days for one eye and five days for the other eye for his vision to clear completely. 

 

The other person I know vision was fine the same afternoon. On both eyes, she could see the same afternoon.  

 

So apparently there is a difference between people that you can't predict. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,371
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: What is complete recovery time after cataract surgery?

Other than putting drops in my eyes for 10 days, I was fine later the same day.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,525
Registered: ‎01-25-2023

Re: What is complete recovery time after cataract surgery?

Other than putting drops in my eyes I had no issues, was able to work the next day. Had one done then the other was done 2 weeks later. I wore corrective lenses, either glasses of contacts, for 60 years but had corrective lenses done with the surgery. I need readers but my distance sight is 20/20. 

Critter Lover! (especially cats!)
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,865
Registered: ‎12-02-2013

Re: What is complete recovery time after cataract surgery?


@Flopsy wrote:

I had mine done a week apart last December.  First day for each I wore patch all day and night then nighttime for a week.  I had three sets of drops for each eye.  I'm probably not a classic case because I was very sensitive to light for a few weeks and still take steroids for the stinging.  I would say 1 to 2 days for each eye.  My doctor likes to do the surgery 3 weeks apart but as I said mine was a week apart due to me traveling and the holidays.  No way could I have done both same day, you couldn't see to do anything!  Good luck, I no longer wear any type of glasses.


@Flopsy 

 

The sensitivity to light eases over time but some remains.  At first it is a result of the cataract being removed:  the light coming into the eye is no longer seen through the cataract.  

About a week after my surgery, I went to a Funeral Mass.  The light coming through the stained glass windows was so unbearable that I put on my sunglasses in the church !

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
Sir Winston Churchill
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,217
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: What is complete recovery time after cataract surgery?

    I will have both eyes done in June, two weeks apart. I will have a $1500 lens ( paid for out of pocket) put in each eye. The money must be paid in advance. I know several folks when I worked who were back at work within two days.

   

     Mine is different. Although I am retired and do not have to go to work, I have macular degeneration, and I am losing my vision no matter what. (My grandmother and mother both went blind from macular degeneration. ) Under normal circumstances, you probably will not be sidelined too long.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 835
Registered: ‎10-16-2021

Re: What is complete recovery time after cataract surgery?

To the poster that said no one should ask a question like this on a forum, I disagree.

I have an appointment late in April to discuss/setup cataract surgery.

While I certainly recognize that everyone is different and will have their own experience

positive or negative, the statements made by all the posters have given me many points of information that I was completely unaware of.  I can now ask my doctor questions about drops/dropless surgery, what the advantages are to paying for more expensive lenses that apparently Medicare will not pay for, and recovery time (days vs weeks).

 

I thank the OP for bringing this up, as I have found this thread very useful.

Thanks to all who posted.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,709
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: What is complete recovery time after cataract surgery?

@spumoni99,  medicare has some strange rules about what can be done at the same time.  It would be a good idea to verify that having both eyes done at the same time would be fully covered.

The eyes through which you see others may be the same as how they see you.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 30,918
Registered: ‎05-10-2010

Re: What is complete recovery time after cataract surgery?

Just call the doctor's office and ask.  I'm surprised they didn't give you a handout that covers everything.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,457
Registered: ‎10-04-2010

Re: What is complete recovery time after cataract surgery?

[ Edited ]

@Maggie Nolia    Most people recover very quickly.   They tell you to take it east, not bend over with your head down or lifting heavy objects but that;s about it.   I never had to use drops.   My ophthalmologist did dropless cataract surgery and it was a breeze.   I had one eye done and two weeks later the other. Now in contrast, my guy had one eye done on Valentine;s Day.  He did drops for quite a few days before the surgery and over a month after.    I guess some health insurances won't pay for dropless.  He has Kaiser and they do everything different than anyone.   I'm glad I had dropless cataract surgery - it's  a breeze.

 

https://www.aao.org/young-ophthalmologists/yo-info/article/dropless-cataract-surgery-steps-toward-a-...

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,462
Registered: ‎04-20-2013

Re: What is complete recovery time after cataract surgery?

I had mine done years ago. The doctor saw me in his office ( which was in the sane building) after the procedure & checked my vision. I wore sun glasses for three days plus eye drops for 5 days & went back to work two days after surgery. I had my second eye done about a month later, same procedure & went back to work the day after. I had no blurry vision for either eye & wear readers only.