When can I drive after cataract surgery?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
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
- Arrange a driver for surgery day; you cannot drive yourself home.
- Wait for the vision check and your surgeon's go-ahead before driving.
- Self-test honestly: number plate at the legal distance, comfortable head checks, no glare panic.
- Restart with short daytime trips, especially if the other eye still has a cataract.
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