New Year resolutions for eyes: Watch out for these risks post cataract surgery
Are there any risks that exist following cataract surgery? What are the reasons for vision loss after cataract surgery? As we enter the New Year 2023, here are the resolutions that eye experts want you to make
Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly carried out surgeries in the world as it is one of the most effective ways to cure a common eye problem and in most cases, it helps to save a person’s eyesight, while in rare instances, there may be untoward outcomes. More than 99 percent of people who receive cataract surgery have no complications but though it's a very safe procedure, complications do rarely happen and if any individual has other health issues, additional eye problems or are over 80, one is more likely to have complications during or after cataract surgery hence, following up with your ophthalmologist and taking care of any problems will help you heal well and enjoy watching a beautiful world this New Year 2023.
As we enter the New Year 2023, there are certain resolutions that eye experts want us to make to ensure eye health. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Sandeep Buttan, Technical Lead at Eye Health and Health System Strengthening at Sightsavers India, shared, “Untreated Cataract is the most common cause of avoidable blindness in the world. Almost 70% of blindness in India is due to people not getting access to good quality eye care services. Cataract surgery is one of the most cost-effective health interventions that, if performed at the right time using standard protocols, can lead to complete restoration of vision in the majority of cases.”
He cautioned, “Delay in presentation for surgery can lead to certain complications such as lens induced glaucoma that may prevent recovery of vision after surgery. Certain operative complications either due to improper technique or inadequate pre-operative and/or post-operative management of the operated cases can also lead to reduced vision after the surgery. These complications include corneal opacity, intraocular inflammation (uveitis), post-surgical infections etc.”
He insisted that almost all of these can be prevented if the entire surgical team follows the standard protocols laid out for safe cataract surgeries and the equipment and supplies for the procedure are as per recommendations:
i) Some cases may have reduced vision after surgery due to a residual or surgery induced refractive error and thus need a pair of glasses to correct it for near and/or distance as per the requirements of the individual.
ii) Some long term sequel may arise after a few weeks of the surgery that can reduce vision. Some of these may require a secondary procedure such as a laser capsulotomy or medical management.
Stringent adherence to pre and post operative protocols and insistence on compliance to follow up monitoring of visual outcome of cataract surgery is essential for successful blindness prevention program. Bringing her expertise to the same, Dr Uma Malliah, Senior Consultant, Ophthalmology at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi, said, “Cataract surgery is a relatively safe procedure that improves vision for the vast majority of people. It is very common to have a blurry or unclear vision for a few days and sometimes even weeks after cataract removal. Most of the time, this is caused by normal swelling in the eye which occurs as a part of the surgery. Patients with larger, denser and/or firmer cataracts are more likely to experience more inflammation. Most patients see a significant improvement in their vision within 48 hours of surgery. This timeframe can vary depending on the type of cataract, overall health, age and associated eye conditions. More than 99% of people who undergo cataract surgery have no complications.”
She highlighted, “Though it's a relatively very safe procedure, complications do sometimes happen. Report states that less than 0.5% of cataract surgery patients encounter severe postoperative complications leading to loss of vision in the operated eye. Sometimes the natural capsule that holds the artificial lens becomes cloudy after cataract surgery. It may even seem as if the cataract is returning. This can affect the vision. This can be treated easily within a few minutes as a opd procedure restoring normal vision. Vision loss from glaucoma or macular degeneration is permanent but, blindness from cataracts can be completely reversed. By having their cataracts removed by cataract surgery patients can regain clear vision.”
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