Are floaters normal after cataract surgery?

What's normal

The American Academy of Ophthalmology describes floaters as small dots or lines in your field of vision, which are shadows cast by small clumps inside the eye. After cataract surgery people often notice floaters more because the view through the eye is suddenly clearer than it was through the cataract.

Ordinary floaters do not need treatment. The AAO says they tend to float out of the way on their own, and most people stop noticing them over time.

Scattered floaters can appear any time after surgery. A sudden increase, at any point, is an emergency call.

When it stops being normal

The American Academy of Ophthalmology says that bursts of floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow or curtain appearing in your side vision can indicate retinal detachment, a rare complication, and to call your ophthalmologist immediately.

The American Society of Retina Specialists describes the typical symptoms of a retinal detachment as floaters, flashing lights, and a shadow or curtain in the peripheral vision that can be stationary or progress toward and involve the center of vision, and lists previous eye surgery such as cataract surgery among the risk factors. The National Eye Institute also lists flashes of light or a lot of small dark spots or squiggly lines as a reason to contact your doctor.