Risks and Complications of Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is perhaps the most common type of surgery preformed today. This surgery demonstrates a very high level of safety when compared to almost any other surgery performed.

For each 1000 people undergoing the surgery, perhaps 50 will suffer some type of adverse event, while 950 or more will run a smooth course. some complications that might occur include a bacterial infection within the eye, bleeding within the eye, retinal detachment, an inability to remove the cataract as a whole, an inability to implant a lens, or the need for additional surgeries in an attempt to fix the adverse event. In those eyes in which such a complication occurs, there are often both medicinal and surgical means that a surgeon can perform in order to minimize as much as possible the risk of severe damage and the resulting damage to vision in that eye. These potential complications are risks that might occur in any cataract surgery , even completely uneventful and performed by the best of surgeons. But, it is important to understand that no surgeon or technique is risk-free, and complications cannot be entirely avoided.

Prior to the surgery the surgeon will assess weather or not the surgery is considered high risk and will do the maximum in order to reduce the risk factors as much as possible. Such actions include, mainly, changing the technique to tailor it to the individual eye, in order to offer the patient the highest chances for success.