The University of Maryland Medical Center defines cataracts as protein clusters on the eye's lens that disturb vision. Symptoms of cataracts include foggy and hazy vision, halos or circles around lights, poor night vision and double vision. The National Institutes of Health report that surgery is the most effective treatment for cataracts. Surgeons replace the hazy lens with an artificial lens. According to the National Eye Institutes, 90 percent of patient receiving cataract surgery report better vision after the procedure. Patients should be aware of the complications of this procedure, however.
Bleeding
Bleeding after cataract surgery is uncommon, but it may occur, advises About Cataract Surgery. Surgeons often place the replacement lens inside the eye by making a small incision in the cornea, where there are no blood vessels. They stop any bleeding at the surface of the eye by cauterizing, or applying heat, to the bleeding blood vessels.
A more serious bleeding complication of cataract surgery is choroidal hemorrhage. The choroid is a group of small vessels that supplies the retina with blood. Occasionally the choroid bleeds during cataract surgery, causing complications that range from mild to severe. If only a small amount of bleeding occurs and is limited to a small section of the vessels, there are no vision complications, but severe choroidal bleeding causes total vision loss. Modern surgical techniques have reduced the incidence of choroidal hemorrhage.
Endophthalmitis
An infection inside of the eye known as endophthalmitis can appear after surgery. Antibiotic therapy injections directly into the eye can treat this condition, but surgeons also take precautions to reduce the likelihood of eye infection. Preventative measures include giving patients antibiotic eye drops before surgery, sterilizing the area around the eye and covering the face with sterile drapes. Still, the Eye Surgery Education Council reports that 1 in 3,000 cataract surgery patients are diagnosed with endophtalmitis. Symptoms of the infection include redness, pain, light sensitivity and vision loss. The infection can appear immediately after surgery but may not be apparent until several days later. If antibiotic therapy is ineffective, surgeons perform a vitrectomy. This procedure removes the vitreous from the eye to assist in controlling infection.
Diabetic Complications
Nearly 60 percent of people with diabetes eventually develop cataracts, reports the National Diabetes Association. People with diabetes are more likely to develop complications associated with the retina after surgery. According to a 2009 report in "Ophthalmology," patients with diabetes risk severe eye deterioration with cataract surgery. The deterioration is associated with diabetic retinopathy, in condition in which blood vessels in the eye are weakened by long periods of high blood sugar. Patients should have stable and well-managed blood glucose levels before considering surgery, and they should also be well informed of all risk factors.
References
- Eye Surgery Education Council: What Are The Risks of Cataract Surgery?
- American Diabetes Association: Eye Complications
- "Ophthalmology"; Development and Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy 12 Months after Phacoemulsification Cataract Surgery; J. Wang et al.; August 2009
- National Institutes of Health: Facts About Cataract
- About Cataract Surgery: Cataract Surgery Complications
