Can You Have Cataract Surgery in Summer?
Hot weather, holidays, the sea and the pool: should you postpone cataract surgery until autumn? Here is what to watch after cataract surgery in summer.
Yes, you can have cataract surgery in summer safely. The operating room has no season, and the measures that prevent infection do not depend on the weather. In summer, the main point is to keep water out of your eye in the first days. In addition, you wait a few weeks before the pool, the sea or a steam bath. If poor vision limits your daily life, you do not need to postpone surgery just because of the season.
Does the season affect surgery?
We perform cataract surgery in a sterile operating room. The incision is small (about 2 mm), and in most cases we numb the eye with drops. The temperature, humidity and cleanliness of the operating room are the same all year round. Therefore, the surgery itself is no different in summer than in winter.
“The operating room has no season. You can have cataract surgery in summer too. The only limits are keeping water out of your eye for a few days and staying out of the pool and the sea for a few weeks.”
— Prof. Dr. Fırat Helvacıoğlu, from the video
Can you have cataract surgery in summer?
In one minute, Prof. Dr. Fırat Helvacıoğlu explains whether you can have cataract surgery in summer.
Does cataract surgery in summer carry a higher infection risk?
Infection inside the eye (endophthalmitis) after cataract surgery is a very rare but serious complication. Some people think sunlight may reduce microorganisms around the eye. Even so, the season does not decide the risk. The measures during surgery do:
- Cleaning the eye and the skin around it with an antiseptic solution before surgery
- Sterile working conditions and single-use materials
- Placing an antibiotic inside the eye at the end of surgery
For example, a multicentre study by the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) included 16,000 patients. In the groups that did not receive an antibiotic (cefuroxime) inside the eye at the end of surgery, the infection risk was about 5 times higher. Today this practice is standard.
Cataract surgery in summer: how does the first month go?
The season does not change the success of the surgery. What differs in summer is that you wait a few weeks for the pool and the sea. You also protect your eye from sun and dust.
- First-month scheduleYou use drops for about a month. We advise keeping water out of your eye in the first days and waiting a few weeks for the pool and the sea.
- Summer tipsSunglasses, clean hands and protection from dust make healing easier in the summer months.
What to watch after cataract surgery in summer
Do
- Use your drops on time
- Wear sunglasses with UV protection outdoors
- Wash your hands before using drops
- Drink plenty of fluids and keep sweat from running into your eye
- Plan your check-up days around your holiday
Avoid
- Water directly on the eye in the first days
- The pool, the sea, a steam bath and a sauna in the first few weeks
- Rubbing your eye
- Dusty, windy places and air conditioning blowing straight at your face
- Going on a long holiday without a check-up
When you wash your face, keep your eye closed and wipe it with a damp cloth. Your doctor decides when you can go into the pool or the sea. First, he checks at your visit that the incision has healed. I explain the recovery period in detail on the recovery after cataract surgery page.
Should you postpone cataract surgery in summer?
A cataract usually progresses slowly. Therefore, a planning difference of a few weeks does not cause a problem. However, if poor vision makes driving, climbing stairs or daily tasks hard, do not postpone surgery for months just because of the season. Moreover, surgery is technically harder in advanced, hardened cataracts.
See a doctor without waiting
- Rapid loss of vision, double vision or severe glare from lights
- Clear difficulty when driving or reading
- Pain and redness in the eye with the cataract
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The season does not affect operating room conditions. What differs in summer is that you wait a few weeks before the pool and the sea after surgery. You also protect your eye from sun and dust.
Usually after a few weeks, once your check-up shows that the incision has healed. Your doctor sets the exact time at your check-up.
Yes, you can continue your daily life. Sunglasses with UV protection reduce glare outdoors. They also protect your eye from dust and wind.
Cataract surgery usually does not prevent air travel. You only need to plan your trip so that you do not miss your first check-ups.
No, the season makes no difference to the success of surgery. The best time is when your vision starts to limit your daily life and you can attend your check-ups regularly.
Related pages
References
- ESCRS Endophthalmitis Study Group. Prophylaxis of postoperative endophthalmitis following cataract surgery: results of the ESCRS multicenter study and identification of risk factors. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2007;33(6):978-988. doi:10.1016/j.jcrs.2007.02.032
- Kaya Ünsal S, Helvacıoğlu F, Sunay E. Biometric analysis and refractive outcomes of cataract surgeries performed by implantation of trifocal IOL. 35th ESCRS Congress, Lisbon, October 2017 (paper).
This article is for patient information only; it does not replace an examination or medical assessment. The right treatment for you is decided after an eye examination and measurements. Publication date: September 25, 2026.
Contact Prof. Dr. Fırat Helvacıoğlu with your questions
Prof. Dr. Fırat Helvacıoğlu · Veni Vidi Eye Clinic, Bağdat Cad. No: 257, Caddebostan – Kadıköy / Istanbul