Postoperative care after cataract surgery includes which of the following?

• A. Wear dark glasses until pupils react to light again
• B. Keep the eye permanently patched
• C. Avoid all eye drops after surgery
• D. Continue strenuous activity immediately after surgery

Answer: (A)

Protecting the recovering eye from bright light is a central part of cataract surgery aftercare. Light sensitivity is common after the procedure as the eye heals and the pupil’s response to light returns to normal, so wearing dark sunglasses helps reduce glare, protects the eye from irritants, and prevents rubbing that could disturb healing.

Patching the eye permanently isn’t part of routine long-term care—the patch, if used at all, is temporary. Avoiding all eye drops goes against standard practice, since prescribed antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops help prevent infection and control inflammation during healing. Strenuous activity is usually restricted for a period after surgery to avoid increasing eye pressure and compromising healing.

So wearing dark glasses to lessen light sensitivity during the recovery period is the best-supported postoperative measure.