Not on surgery day, and not until your vision is back to normal.
NHS guidance says you go home the same day but do not drive yourself home, and you must not drive until your vision is back to normal. That is a vision test, not a calendar test: blurring from the dilating drops clears within hours, but the eye can take days to feel sharp and comfortable, and night glare or halos can linger. Your surgeon measures your vision at the early follow-up and can confirm you meet the legal driving standard. Between surgery and clearance, lifts and taxis are the plan.
What to do
Common questions
When can I drive after cataract surgery?
Not on the day, and not until your vision is clear and your surgeon says so. The NHS is direct: you can usually go home the same day but must not drive yourself home, and you should not drive until your vision is back to normal. For many people that takes a few days, because the dilating drops blur vision for hours and the eye can ache and water while it settles. The honest test is whether you could read a number plate at the legal distance and react to the road comfortably with both eyes, not whether a set number of days has passed. Your surgeon checks your vision at the early follow-up and can tell you whether you meet the driving standard. Do not take the word of a friend who drove the next day: healing speeds differ, and glare or halos at night can linger even when daytime vision is sharp. If only one eye has been done and the other still has a dense cataract, depth perception can feel off, so start with short daytime trips. When in doubt, wait for the follow-up appointment verdict.