Like any procedure, eye surgery comes with possible risks and complications. Complications will often vary between different procedures, but some risks may occur with each type of surgery. Before proceeding with any eye surgery, the patient should discuss all options and possible complications with the eye surgeon. Knowing the reason for the procedure and the likelihood of a problem will help the patient make the best choice for her eyes.
Bleeding
Certain eye surgeries require the surgeon to make a small incision in the eye. In some cases this may result in excessive bleeding during the surgery. This will create an extra level of difficulty in the procedure, often inhibiting view or causing the blood to drain into the eye itself. In some cases, the blood may leak into the front chamber of the eye, just in front of the iris, the colored round muscle in the eye. This bleeding, called a hyphema, may not require treatment since the eye will often absorb the blood in a matter of days, says MedlinePlus. Some people, however, have increased eye pressure and significant changes in vision, requiring eye drops or additional procedures to remove the blood.
Infection
Infections may occur after the surgery. After cataract surgery, for example, some patients have a bacterial infection called endophthalmitis. Symptoms may include sudden vision changes, redness and pain, explains the website Cataract Free America. Early diagnosis of the infection typically leads to a swift and full recovery with the use of prescription eye drops. If left untreated, however, the infection may lead to permanent vision loss. After cataract surgery, if a patient experiences any changes in vision or comfort, he should contact the eye surgeon immediately, even if the changes occur at night or on the weekend.
Vision
Any eye surgery runs the risk of causing changes in vision. In the case of vision correction surgery, an elective procedure designed to reduce a patient's need to wear contact lenses or glasses, the patient may have a less than desired visual outcome. Prior to the surgery, the doctor takes measurements of the eye, and these measurements determine how the doctor will use the laser to reshape the cornea. In some cases, the measurements may lead to over-correction or under-correction, resulting in a continued need for prescription eyewear. The eye surgery may also cause some people to actually lose vision that an eyeglass prescription will not correct, warns the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
