Disadvantages of Cataract Surgery

The term, “disadvantages of cataract surgery” is a bit of a misnomer. 

If (when) you develop cataracts and then progress to the stage where you need an operation, doing nothing will mean that your eyesight will worsen, potentially leading to blindness. The condition is the leading cause of vision loss across the world. But, thankfully (in the Western world, at least), modern surgery procedures mean that no one needs to lose their eyesight from cataracts.

So, with that in mind, let’s look at the disadvantages (or should we call them “potential complications”) of cataract surgery.

The Downside of Cataract Surgery

• Potential disadvantages of cataract surgery
• Who’s more at risk?

Potential disadvantages of cataract surgery

Any medical intervention—no matter how small—comes with a degree of risk. Even the simple act of taking an over-the-counter painkiller has potential repercussions.

Cataract surgery is an invasive procedure. This means that the integrity of the body tissue must be breached to perform the operation. In the case of cataract removal, a laser is used to make a tiny incision in the eye tissue. The diseased lens is broken down and suctioned out. The surgeon then attaches an artificial lens, known as an intraocular lens, or IOL.

The tissue disruption has the potential to cause complications, such as:

• An eye infection: Any break in the body tissue provides an entry site through which bacteria could penetrate.
• Bleeding: Tissues naturally bleed when they’re damaged. Sometimes this means that blood can seep into the eye.
• Swelling: Swelling is another natural response to tissue trauma. This could occur at the front of the eye, inside, or both.
• Retinal inflammation or trauma: The retina is a layer of thin, light-receiving cells at the back of the eye. In rare cases, swelling can occur. Another potential complication is retinal detachment, where the layer of cells lifts away from its position.
• Damage elsewhere in the eye: Rarely, issues can arise anywhere within the eye or the tissues directly surrounding it.
• Loss of vision: Either partial or total.

Any of the above can be accompanied by pain. In most cases, any minor postoperative discomfort can be relieved by OTC analgesia. However, a minority of cases don’t respond and require further clinical medication or intervention.

Another potential risk is that the implanted IOL moves out of position. This is known as a dislocation. If this is anything other than minor, another operation will be necessary to correct it.

Who’s more at risk?

Having certain physical and medical conditions makes a person more susceptible to post-op complications. Higher-risk patients include those who suffer from:

• High myopia
• A small pupil
• Glaucoma
• Diabetes
• Previous eye trauma
• Previous eye operation/s
• Dry eye
• Genetic abnormalities
• Corneal abnormalities or disease
• Traumatic cataracts (those that form after eye trauma)

Even if you suffer from one of these or any other conditions that raise your risk, you should rest assured that today’s technology makes cataract operations one of the safest types of surgery available. It really is a wonder of modern technology that has and continues to prevent blindness. Since 1995, more than 500 million people around the world have undergone cataract surgery. Annually, around four million are performed in the US alone.

Get the Ultimate Cataract Surgery at the Modern Cataract Surgery Clinic

The Modern Cataract Surgery Clinic is the cataract-specific arm of the West Boca Eye Center. Headed by one of the world’s best cataract surgeons, Dr. Brent Bellotte, we treat everything cataract-related. Indeed, our expertise is such that we’re the go-to location for those at the highest risk of cataract surgery complications.

Discover more about what we do at https://www.moderncataractsurgery.com