Most patients who have a cataract surgery often get back their regular vision and resume their earlier activities without any complications. However, as may happen with any other surgery, there is a possibility that some complication may arise after a cataract operation.
Your doctor will give you a list of instructions that you need to follow as part of your after-care routine. In case you do have some complications, they will most likely be minor and the right treatment will help you get better.
2 Main Complications Post Cataract Surgery
1. Cloudiness In Vision
One of the main complications that people face is cloudiness in the vision. In medical terms, it is known as posterior capsule opacification (PCO). It is a condition in which some part of the lens capsule turns thick, and leads to a cloud like appearance in your vision. It is not really a return of the cataract, but is actually a type of skin or membrane growth that appears on the back of the artificial lens.
How To Take Care :Your doctor could suggest laser eye surgery which is a very simple procedure and will barely take 15 minutes. You will notice improvement either immediately, or within a few days.
2. Retinal Tear Or Retinal Detachment
A retinal tear is a condition in which the vitreous (a gel like substance that fills the inside in the rear part of the eye) starts to peel away from the retina and finally detaches. When this happens, the stretching can often tug at parts around the retina and make it tear. In such a case, you may also suffer from a damaged or bleeding retinal vessel. While a retinal tear will not cause loss in vision, a retinal detachment will cause some loss of vision, and in severe cases, may cause permanent loss in vision and blindness.
How to Take Care : Your doctor could suggest a non-incisional laser procedure or a cold therapy to treat a retinal tear. In case of a retinal detachment, the doctor will perform an incisional surgical procedure to try and repair the damage.
Other Complications
In addition to the above, here are a few more complications that may arise after a cataract surgery:
- Bleeding or swelling in the eye
- Infection
- Drooping eyelid
- Glaucoma
- Vision loss
- Dislocation of the artificial lens
Risk Factors
It is impossible to predict whether or not you will suffer any complications after the cataract surgery. Certain eyes are more suited for the surgery, while some may be prone to suffering a negative outcome.
If you are suffering from any other eye condition, have any serious medical condition or have diabetes, you are at a higher risk of suffering from complications after the cataract surgery.
In case you have not yet had the surgery and are planning to get it done, inform your doctor about your health issues before the surgery.
Your doctor will help you first take care of other health concerns and then plan the surgery.
Here are a few other reasons that could increase your risk of suffering complications after a cataract surgery:
- Not wearing the right spectacles or not wearing the spectacles at all that are given after the surgery
- Pre-existing macular degeneration, a type of eye condition which leads to loss in vision
- Pre-existing amblyopia, a type of eye condition which leads to a vision disorder that cannot be corrected through spectacles or contact lenses. It usually happens in only one eye
It is very rare that you will suffer any sort of eye complication after your cataract surgery. Your vision will either return to normal, or you may need to wear glasses to restore normal vision.
Make sure you follow all the care instructions that your doctor suggests and in case of any discomfort in vision, or any pain in the eye, get in touch with your doctor immediately.
