Post-cataract, you do have to ease back into certain activities:
Exercise: Gentle exercise like walking can usually be resumed within the first couple days. If you feel up to it, a light walk the day after surgery is fine. For more strenuous exercise (jogging, weight lifting, aerobics), most surgeons say wait about a week before returning to moderate exercise, and avoid heavy straining (anything that would cause your face to turn red) or lifting >25 lbs for at least 1-2 weeks. The concern is twofold: avoiding spike in eye pressure and avoiding sweat or accidental trauma to the eye. When you do resume, start gradually and ensure you keep sweat out of the eye (headband or towel).
Swimming: This is a big no-no initially. Water, especially in pools, hot tubs, lakes, or oceans, is full of microorganisms that could cause infection while your incision is not fully sealed. It’s recommended to avoid swimming (and hot tubs) for about 4 weeks. If you must be around water, say for physical therapy, absolutely wear swimming goggles that seal well, but even then preferably wait.
Makeup: Eye makeup in particular (mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow) should be avoided for at least one to two weeks. These products can harbor bacteria and also require rubbing to remove, which is bad early on. Face makeup (foundation, powder) should ideally wait a week because particles can get near the eye. If you must use them sooner, be extremely cautious and keep well away from the eye, but best practice is give your eyes a cosmetic holiday for about 10-14 days. After that, use new products if possible (old mascara wands can be breeding grounds). Contact sports or activities with risk of eye trauma (like tennis or basketball) should be put off for about 4 weeks too, and when you do resume, consider wearing protective glasses.
In sum: walk when you feel fine, break a light sweat after a few days, hit the gym moderately after 1 week, swim after at least 2 (with clearance), and doll up the eyes after ~2 weeks – these timelines ensure your eye heals without exposure to infection risk or mechanical stress.
