3 Eye Drops You May Need After Cataract Surgery and How to Use Them
Key takeaways:
After cataract surgery, most people need to use medicated eye drops to prevent inflammation and infection.
The most common cataract eye drops include steroid drops (like prednisolone), antibiotic eye drops, and NSAID drops (like Prolensa).
Talk to your ophthalmologist before adding any additional eye drops, like artificial tears, into your treatment regimen.
GoodRx can help you navigate ways to save on the cost of your eye drops, with exclusive savings available for brand-name Lotemax, Vigamox, and Prolensa, among others.
Cataract surgery is one of the most common procedures in the world. Millions of people undergo cataract surgery each year in the U.S. For many, cataract surgery is life changing by restoring vision.
Eye drops are an important part of cataract treatment. You need to use eye drops before and after cataract surgery to make sure your eyes heal safely. There is no “perfect” eye-drop regimen, so the exact cataract eye drops people use before and after surgery varies. But the most common eye drops after cataract surgery are antibiotic eye drops, steroid eye drops, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) eye drops. Let’s take a look at how each one helps your eyes recover after cataract surgery.
Do you need to use eye drops after a cataract surgery?
Yes. You need to use eye drops after cataract surgery in order to avoid vision-threatening complications.
Be prepared with Prolensa
Prolensa treats inflammation and reduces eye pain in patients after cataract surgery. Uninsured patients may pay as little as $80 copay for up to a 60-day supply.
Cataract removal surgery is a very common and safe procedure. But it’s still surgery, so there can be complications. Using eye drops after cataract surgery can help prevent complications like eye infections, eye inflammation, and macular edema, which can lead to long-term vision damage.
What are the best eye drops to use after cataract surgery?
There are three main types of eye drops that are used after cataract surgery: steroid, NSAID, and antibiotic eye drops. How often and how long you need to take these eye drops will depend on your medical history and your unique eye needs.
Keep in mind that while combination eye drops are gaining traction, they’re still less studied and often more expensive. In the future, combination eye drops may save people time and effort. But, for now, single-medication drops are the standard of care.
1. Steroid eye drops
Steroid eye drops help decrease inflammation in the eye after cataract surgery. Less inflammation means you’ll experience less pain after surgery.
Lowering inflammation also lowers your risk of developing macular edema. The macula is the back part of the eye, which normally lets you see fine detail. Macular edema, or macular swelling, causes blurry vision and limits your vision recovery after cataract surgery.
Prednisolone (Pred-Forte) and loteprednol (Lotemax) are the most commonly prescribed steroid eye drops after cataract surgery. You may need to use these eye drops 2 to 4 times a day. Expect to continue using them for 2 to 6 weeks after surgery. You’ll be able to cut back on how often you use them as time goes on.
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2. Antibiotic eye drops
Antibiotic eye drops lower your risk of forming an eye infection after cataract surgery. Infections after cataract surgery are very rare but very dangerous. That’s why everyone needs antibiotic eye drops after cataract surgery. Your eye surgeon may ask you to start these antibiotic eye drops a few days before your surgery.
Moxifloxacin (Vigamox) and gatifloxacin (Zymaxid) are the most commonly used antibiotic eye drops after cataract surgery. You will use these drops several times a day for 1 to 2 weeks after your surgery.
3. NSAID eye drops
NSAID eye drops lower inflammation and pain, but they don’t contain steroids. Sometimes people receive these eye drops instead of steroid eye drops after surgery, depending on their underlying medical conditions.
NSAID eye drops have an added benefit of keeping the pupils dilated during cataract surgery. So even if you don’t need to use these after surgery, you will get these eye drops right before and during your surgery.
The most commonly prescribed NSAID eye drops include ketorolac (Acular), bromfenac (Prolensa), and nepafenac (Ilevro).
If your provider prescribes NSAID eye drops, you’ll need to use them 2 to 4 times a day for about 1 month.
How to save on the cost of eye drops for cataract surgery
The table below summarizes common eye drops used for cataract surgery and the lowest cost using a free GoodRx coupon.
In addition, anyone with a valid prescription, regardless of insurance status, can use GoodRx to purchase brand-name Lotemax gel, drops, or ointment at an exclusive cash price of $80. A manufacturer copay card is also available. Exclusive savings are also available for Prolensa as well as brand-name Vigamox.
| Medication | Type | Side effects | Lowest GoodRx Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moxifloxacin (Vigamox) | Antibiotic | Eye swelling, irritation, and redness; dry eye, blurry vision | Less than $10 |
| Gatifloxacin (Zymaxid) | Antibiotic | Eye irritation and pain; change in taste | Less than $40 |
| Ketorolac (Acular, Acuvail) | NSAID | Eye burning, redness, stinging, and pain; headache | Less than $30 |
| Bromfenac (Prolensa, BromSite) | NSAID | Blurry vision, light sensitivity, eye pain | Less than $10 |
| Nepafenac (Ilevro, Nevanac) | NSAID | Cloudy vision, worse vision, feeling like something is in your eye | Less than $400 |
| Prednisolone (Pred-Forte) | Steroid | Elevated eye pressure | Less than $25 |
| Loteprednol (Lotemax) | Steroid | Eye pain, swelling, and redness | Less than $10 |
How do you apply eye drops after cataract surgery?
Using eye drops can be tricky. But with practice and good technique, you can become a pro in no time. You can apply your drops in any order, but give yourself a 5-minute break between each type. This gives your eye enough time to absorb each medication.
Try these tips when using your eye drops:
Wash your hands before touching your eyes and medication bottles.
Open your eye-drop bottles.
Tilt your head back.
Using one or two fingers from your nondominant hand, gently pull your bottom eyelid down until you feel natural tension.
Using your dominant hand, hold the eye drop bottle tip right above the “pocket” created by your lower eyelid. Don’t touch the bottle tip to your eye or eyelid.
Squeeze the bottle to administer 1 drop.
Close your eye and use a finger to gently press on the inner corner of your eye. This keeps the drop from immediately running down your tear duct and into your nose.
Repeat for each eye drop.
Recap all eye drop bottles, and wash your hands.
Can you still use artificial tears after cataract surgery?
You may be able to use artificial tears after cataract surgery. But before using them, talk to your ophthalmologist (eye surgeon). Your surgeon may recommend using specific types of artificial tears that don’t contain preservatives. They may also ask you to use the drops differently than you’re used to.
If you have a history of dry eye, having cataract surgery can worsen your symptoms. Let your surgeon know if you have a history of dry eye before your surgery. That way, you can be sure to have the right artificial tears on hand.
The bottom line
You’ll need several types of eye drops after cataract surgery to avoid complications like inflammation and infection. You may even need to start some of these drops 1 to 2 days before your surgery. Antibiotic, steroid, and NSAID eye drops are the most commonly used eye drops after cataract surgery. You may need to use these drops several times a day for up to 6 weeks.
With practice, applying eye drops becomes quick and easy. After cataract surgery, make sure to get the “all clear” from your eye surgeon before using any over-the-counter eye drops, like artificial tears.
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References
Mukit, F. A., et al. (2022). A review of post-operative drops used in cataract surgery. American Academy of Ophthalmology.
National Eye Institute. (2021). How to put in eye drops.
National Eye Institute. (2022). Macular edema.
Solomon, K. D., et al. (2020). Comparing combination drop therapy to a standard drop regimen after routine cataract surgery. Clinical Ophthalmology.
