Complications of cataract surgery

Cataract is absolutely among the most common eye diseases. It is a clouding that develops in the eye’s crystalline lens. Most patients will experience blurry vision as the disease progresses. Some of them even develop slight myopia and lose the ability of blue color perception. Cataract is generally an age-related disease and deteriorates during the patients’ natural aging process. Until now, the most effective way to treat this problem is cataract surgery. A majority of patients can get the clouding cataract removed and restore clear vision. But this surgery has also been linked with some complications.

Notice floaters in the eye

Some patients may suffer floaters after a cataract surgery. In fact the procedure itself never causes this symptom. These people actually have floaters before the surgery, and they become noticeable once the cloudy cataract is removed by the procedure. Being more obvious in a light background or the blue sky, floaters are harmless and usually settle out over time. Some one wants to remove a floater surgically because of it can disturb the central vision in an annoying way. However, surgical removal of a floater involves significant risks.

Light flashes and light sensitivity

Besides floaters, there are also potential light flashes after a cataract surgery, which require an immediate resolution. Underlying causes of light flashes include retinal detachment and retinal tear. Some patients after cataract surgery may experience light sensitivity during the follow-up weeks or months. Those people should avoid directly fierce light. Most cataract patients will be asked to take certain post-operative medications. In general, antibiotic eye drops can be used to avoid infection and steroid drops will be prescribed to minimize inflammation.

Factors that may contribute to complications of cataract surgery

Some other conditions may contribute to complications after a cataract surgery, e.g. stroke, heart problems, glaucoma, and menopause and so on. These unhealthy conditions have been proven to increase the risk of developing postoperative complications. It is a necessity to receive a prior examination from the doctor and tell any abnormal conditions. In certain instances, cataract patients should receive medical clearance from their doctors before the surgery. Cataract removal is sometimes considered to help with the diagnosis of macular degeneration. The presence of glaucoma will not affect the success of cataract surgery. Similarly, cataract surgery is also helpless in treating glaucoma.

Other concerns about cataract surgery

There are still miscellaneous concerns about cataract surgery. Some patients may refuse IOL implantation during the cataract surgery, which is below the standard of care and is much likely to cause more problems such as vision distortion. Pingueculae and cataract are not related, although they are slowly progressive. Untreated cataracts can lead to legal blindness. Most cataracts develop slowly, but trauma can significantly speed up cataract progress. A dense, hyper-mature cataract requires more expertise from the surgeon and also involves more complications.