When can I go back to work after cataract surgery?

The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery says most patients who have a standard, uncomplicated cataract surgery see well enough to drive and return to their normal activities within a few days. That fits with the American Academy of Ophthalmology's note that many people can resume reading, computer use, and television within several hours of surgery. If your job is seated and screen based, a few days is a realistic target.

Physical jobs run on a longer clock. AAO says not to bend over or put your head below your waist for the first 48 hours, and that more vigorous activity is typically resumed around 7 to 10 days. The National Eye Institute advises avoiding bending over and lifting heavy things for a few weeks. So work that involves lifting, climbing, crawling under things, or hard physical effort usually means a week or two off, and sometimes longer.

Environment matters as much as effort. AAO recommends wraparound sunglasses after surgery partly because they keep dust and other irritants out of the eye. Construction sites, shop floors, farms, kitchens with heavy steam, salons with aerosols, and anywhere with sawdust, grit, or chemical splash risk deserve extra caution and proper eye protection, and are worth a specific conversation with your surgeon.

Build your schedule around the follow up visits. AAO and ASCRS both describe a visit the day after surgery and another about a week later, and StatPearls lists the standard pattern as day 1, one week, one month, and three months. Plan the first two around work, and remember your surgeon's clearance overrides any general timeline.