Cataracts, a clouding of the eye lens, take many years to change the natural lens inside the eye. The lens will gradually turn hard and yellow, which will affect vision. Early cataracts do not require treatment. As cataracts progress, however, a person may find she can no longer read or perform daily tasks as easily. Once cataracts affect these daily activities, a doctor will recommend surgical removal. Before proceeding with cataract surgery, a person should know potential complications from the procedure.
Infection
Like any surgery, one possible complication of cataract surgery is infection. With cataract surgery, however, the infection may occur inside the eye, an infection called endophthalmitis. This may case eye redness, decreased vision and light sensitivity, says the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. For many people, signs of the infection will appear within the first few days after surgery. A person should contact her eye doctor immediately with any unusual symptoms in order to prevent permanent damage to the eye or vision. Once diagnosed, the eye doctor may prescribe eye drops. As well, he may inject a medication into the eye to help control the infection.
Macular Edema
Swelling on the back of the eye may also occur after cataract surgery. This swelling, called cystoid macular edema or simply macular edema, results from inflammation that causes leaking in blood vessels of the retina, the back lining of the eye. The macula is an area on the retina that controls central vision, what a person uses for reading or seeing objects straight ahead. If these blood vessels leak near the macula, the macula will swell and distort central vision, says the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The eye doctor may take pictures of the back of the eye to determine the extent of the edema. Treatment options typically include a steroid injection into the eye to help reduce the inflammation causing the macular edema.
Retinal Detachment
Cataract surgery increases the risk for a person to have a retinal detachment, says the National Eye Institute. A retinal detachment occurs when this lining of the back inner eye peels away. Symptoms may include a significant number of black spots, or floaters, in the vision, flashes of light or a gray-ish "curtain" that blocks out some of the side vision. These symptoms require immediate medical attention, no matter if they occur at night or on a weekend. If a person does not have the detachment repaired, she may have permanent vision loss in the eye. With prompt treatment, most people experience a full return of vision.
