What eye drops will I need after surgery?
Usually an antibiotic drop for a short period, an anti-inflammatory drop that is tapered over weeks, and lubricant drops for dryness that are used as needed. The exact combination and schedule are the clinic’s instruction for your eye and are not interchangeable between clinics.
- Subject
- Surgery journey
- Topic
- Recovery & aftercare
- Kind of question
- Other questions
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
Two things go wrong with drops most often: stopping the anti-inflammatory drop early because the eye feels fine, and using the bottles past their discard date after opening. Both are worth a line in the discharge instructions rather than a guess later.
What this answer depends on
- Which procedure you had
- How your eye responds in the first days
- Any allergy or intolerance you have to a preservative
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under The surgery journey in Recovery & aftercare . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)
The equivalent clinical reference chapter for LASIK, used so that comparisons describe both procedures symmetrically.
Used for How LASIK creates and manages a corneal flap; LASIK complication categories.
Link checked 22 September 2026
- Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE)
A continuously updated clinical reference chapter covering SMILE indications, technique, outcomes and complications, written for clinicians.
Used for How the lenticule is created and removed; Indications and contraindications; Complication categories; Corneal biomechanics compared with flap-based surgery.
Link checked 22 September 2026