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Possible complications of surgery
Though cataract surgery is associated with a low rate of complications, problems may arise, especially in older adults or those with general health problems such as diabetes. Patients should contact their doctor if any of the following symptoms develop during recovery from surgery: unusual pain or aching, persistent redness, bleeding, excessive tearing or discharge, any sudden vision changes, or seeing many bright flashes of light.
In up to 20 percent of extracapsular surgeries--surgery that removes the front of the lens capsule while leaving the back of the lens capsule intact--the back of the lens capsule subsequently becomes cloudy and causes vision difficulties similar to those of the original cataract. Fortunately, recent advances in lens material and design have substantially reduced the risk of this complication. When cloudiness occurs, laser treatment is an effective remedy.
About 1 percent of people, particularly those who are very nearsighted, may develop retinal detachment after cataract surgery. Retinal detachment is a vision-threatening condition in which the retina becomes separated from the underlying layers of the eye.
Cystoid macular edema (a specific pattern of swelling of the central retina) is another common eye-related complication of cataract surgery. If the swelling does not go down on its own, eyedrops may be prescribed.
About 1 in 1,000 people develops an infection of the vitreous humor, called endophthalmitis, after cataract surgery. Patients who experience an increasingly red eye, blurred vision, and pain should see their ophthalmologist promptly. Typically, this condition can be treated with antibiotics and removal of some of the vitreous humor.
Other complications of cataract surgery, such as significant bleeding inside the eye or large pieces of the cataract falling into the back of the eye (dropped nucleus), are rare.
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