Cataract surgery has come a long way in the past 2 decades and while a relatively safe procedure, there still can be complications after surgery. Most of these complications are minor ones though and can be corrected, and don’t worry too much – the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery reports that 98 percent of cataract surgeries are a success!
A cataract is actually a problem with the lens of the eye that causes symptoms such as faded colors and blurriness. The lens of the human eye is clear and therefore light can pass through to our retina which creates vision. A cataract forms on the lens and looks like a cloudy spot, affecting our ability to do everyday activities like reading, driving or seeing in the dark. To resolve this cataract surgery is performed and it removes the damaged part of the lens and replaces it with a plastic implant called an intraocular lens – the good news is that once removed, a cataract cannot grow back.
There are no prescriptions or drugs that can correct a cataract and therefore the only solution is surgery. Surgery is never done on both eyes in the same day and is often an outpatient procedure. As with all surgeries there is a risk hat infection and or bleeding will occur, and in the case of cataract surgery there is an increased risk of the retina detaching. The most common complication of cataract surgery is something called posterior capsule opacity jitendra swarup. This occurs when the lens capsule, which surrounds and protects the lens of your eye, has cells from the outer layer of the cornea that begin to grow onto the capsule. This creates hazy vision which is sometimes worse than what the cataract caused. Thankfully there is a laser treatment that corrects this complication which occurs in about 20 percent of patients.
Another complication that may occur is when the intraocular lens that is implanted into the eye becomes dislocated or gets out of position often causing the patient to experience double vision. This problem can be easily corrected by your surgeon who will simply reposition the lens. If this becomes a problem a second time the intraocular lens can be sewn into place. It is important for a patient to report any problems to their doctor immediately upon noticing them because with just a few months the implanted lens ‘grows’ into place and becomes much harder for a surgeon to reposition or remove.
Cataract surgery does come with some other minor complications such as swelling or a droopy eyelid, but these problems usually clear up with time and do not cause major interference with a patient’s renewed vision. The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery report that 95 percent of patients have their vision restored to the level that is was at before the cataract developed and interfered. Additionally, a high level or premium intraocular lens can actually improve a patient’s vision. So while complications are inherent with any surgery, many people choose cataract surgery as a safe and effective way to remove their cataract and restore their sight.
