A person develops a cataract when the lens inside of the eye becomes cloudy and impacts vision. Cataract surgery is a common and safe procedure that typically has a short recovery time. However, as with all surgeries, there can be complications after the procedure. These complications can range from relatively minor, such as ptosis, to vision-threatening, such as endophthalmitis.
Ptosis
Ptosis is when the upper eyelid droops. This condition could be very slight, or the eyelid could droop enough to impact vision. If ptosis doesn't improve on its own or is interfering with vision, it can be corrected with outpatient surgery.
Swelling in the Eye
After cataract surgery, different areas of the eye could swell and make clear vision difficult. The cornea may become cloudy, but this often improves as the eye heals or may be treated with eye drops. The retina, which is the layer of cells in the back of the eye, may also swell when the blood vessels in the retina leak, a condition called cystoid macular edema. This condition may happen later after the cataract surgery and can be treated with steroids or surgery.
Glaucoma
Sometimes the pressure inside of the eye increases after cataract surgery. This can occur because of postoperative inflammation in the eye or lens material or surgical substances left in the eye. For most patients, the pressure will go down over time, but many physicians will treat with eye drops.
Posterior Capsular Opacity
After the cataract is removed, the artificial lens is placed in a bag called the capsule. After surgery, this bag can become hazy, a condition called posterior capsular opacity, and make vision blurry. This can be treated by creating a hole in the bag with a laser.
Retinal Detachment
Rarely, the retina may detach from the back of the eye after cataract surgery; this is more common is people who are very myopic or nearsighted. This condition may be treated with either laser surgery or retinal surgery.
Endophthalmitis
One of the most serious and rare of complications is endophthalmitis, which is an infection inside the eye. Endophthalmitis can lead to vision loss but can be treated with injections of antibiotics into the eye. Sometimes additional surgery to remove the infected vitreous from the eye is needed to treat this complication.
Choroidal Hemorrhage
Another rare complication is a choroidal hemorrhage, where the larger blood vessels behind the retina begin to bleed. The impact on vision depends on the size of the bleed. A choroidal hemorrhage is treated by creating an opening in the eye above the area where the bleeding occurred.
