After cataract surgery, you’ll typically use three types of prescribed eye drops: an antibiotic, a steroid, and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID). Beyond those, preservative-free artificial tears are the safest option for comfort and dryness. Most other eye drops, including any you used before surgery, should be cleared by your surgeon before you resume them.
The Three Prescribed Drops You’ll Use
The standard post-cataract regimen includes three categories of medicated drops, each with a distinct job. Antibiotic drops prevent infection, particularly a rare but serious complication called endophthalmitis (an infection inside the eye). Steroid drops control the inflammation your eye naturally produces in response to surgery. NSAID drops also reduce inflammation, but they play an additional role: lowering the risk of swelling in the macula, the central part of your retina responsible for sharp vision.
A Cochrane review of multiple clinical trials found that using an NSAID alongside a steroid reduced the risk of this macular swelling more than using a steroid alone. That’s why most surgeons prescribe both types of anti-inflammatory drop rather than choosing one or the other.
Antibiotic Drops
The most commonly prescribed antibiotics after cataract surgery are fourth-generation fluoroquinolones, specifically moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin. About 97% of cataract surgeons prescribe a topical antibiotic after the procedure. Some practices use azithromycin drops instead, which have the advantage of being preservative-free and requiring only twice-daily use for three days. Your antibiotic course will generally last about one week.
Steroid Drops
Prednisolone acetate 1% (often sold as Pred Forte) is the most widely used steroid after cataract surgery. Other options include dexamethasone, loteprednol, and fluorometholone. Steroid drops are the workhorse of your recovery regimen, and you’ll use them for the longest stretch: typically three to six weeks, with a gradual tapering schedule where you reduce the frequency over time. Your surgeon will give you a specific calendar, often starting at four times daily and stepping down every week or two.
NSAID Drops
Common NSAIDs prescribed after cataract surgery include bromfenac, ketorolac, nepafenac, and diclofenac. Bromfenac is popular because it’s dosed just once or twice daily, which simplifies an already crowded drop schedule. These drops help manage pain and reduce the risk of cystoid macular edema, which is the leading cause of decreased vision after otherwise successful cataract surgery. Your NSAID course typically runs on a similar timeline to your steroid, though some surgeons stop it earlier.
Artificial Tears for Post-Surgery Dryness
Dry eye is one of the most common complaints after cataract surgery, and artificial tears are safe to use alongside your prescribed drops. The key detail: choose preservative-free formulations. The most common preservative in eye drops, benzalkonium chloride (BAC), can disrupt the tear film’s protective lipid layer, irritate the corneal surface, and worsen dryness. In the short term it causes redness and stinging. With repeated exposure over weeks, it can lead to inflammation and damage to the corneal cells, which is the last thing a healing eye needs.
Preservative-free artificial tears come in single-use vials rather than multi-dose bottles. They cost a bit more and can be fiddly to open, but multiple studies confirm they’re better tolerated and cause less discomfort than preserved alternatives. Look for products containing hyaluronic acid or trehalose, which are well-studied lubricating ingredients. Common preservative-free brands include Refresh Optive, Systane Ultra (preservative-free version), and TheraTears. You can use these as often as needed for comfort, even several times a day.
Drops to Avoid or Pause
If you were using eye drops before surgery for conditions like glaucoma or allergies, don’t automatically resume them afterward. Glaucoma drops in particular may need to be held temporarily, especially if your eye pressure runs low in the early days of recovery. Your surgeon will tell you exactly when to restart them, and the timeline varies depending on how the surgery went and what your pressure readings look like at follow-up visits.
Over-the-counter drops that contain vasoconstrictors (redness relievers like tetrahydrozoline) should be avoided unless your surgeon specifically approves them. The same goes for any medicated drop not part of your prescribed regimen.
How to Use Drops Safely
Proper technique matters more than usual when your eye has a healing surgical incision. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before every application. Never let the tip of the bottle touch your eye, your eyelid, your fingers, or any surface. Even brief contact can introduce bacteria into the bottle, and that contaminated solution then goes directly into a vulnerable eye.
To apply, tilt your head back and gently pull down your lower eyelid to create a small pocket. Let the drop fall into that pocket without squeezing too hard or pressing on the eye. Close your eye gently afterward rather than blinking rapidly. If you’re using multiple drops, wait at least five minutes between each one so the first drop has time to absorb rather than getting washed out by the next.
Avoid rubbing your eye entirely during recovery. This is one of the most important safety rules after cataract surgery, and it applies whether or not you’re putting in drops. Even light pressure can disturb the incision site before it fully seals.
What Side Effects to Expect
Mild stinging or burning when you instill the drops is normal, especially with NSAID drops. You may also notice temporary blurred vision for a minute or two after application, and some people describe a feeling of something being in the eye. These sensations typically fade as your eye adjusts to the medication over the first few days.
Steroid drops used for several weeks can occasionally raise eye pressure. Your surgeon will monitor this at follow-up appointments and may switch you to a different steroid (like loteprednol, which has a lower pressure-raising profile) if needed. This is one reason you shouldn’t extend your steroid drops beyond the prescribed schedule, even if you have leftover medication.
Keeping Track of Multiple Drops
Using three or four different drops on overlapping schedules can get confusing quickly. A written chart on your refrigerator or a phone reminder works well. Some people find it helpful to assign each drop a specific time of day. For example, antibiotic drops in the morning and evening, steroid drops four times spread through the day, and NSAID drops at lunch and bedtime, with artificial tears used freely in between whenever your eye feels dry or gritty.
Your surgeon’s office will typically give you a printed schedule at discharge. If the instructions aren’t clear, call and ask. Skipping doses or mixing up which drop goes when is one of the most common stumbling blocks in cataract recovery, and getting it right makes a real difference in how smoothly your eye heals.