 Cataract SurgeryCataract surgery is generally highly successful. The majority of individuals regain good sight after their operation. It is not possible, however, to give you perfect vision again. This is because there are only a limited number of different IOLs available and an exact match to your original lens is not possible. Having said this, most people do notice a big improvement in their vision although some visual difficulties are likely to remain.
Although 90 to 95% of people have what is regarded to be a successful outcome, about 5 to 10% show no improvement at all after surgery. Complications can arise and some people face years of decreased vision as a result of these complications. Indeed, some can become blind in one or both eyes as a result of their surgery.
If you do decide that you should have cataract surgery, you are at risk of developing the following complications:-
1 Scar tissue. Due to the process of the surgery it is inevitable that all surgeries will develop some scar tissue inside the eye that has been operated on. If there is excessive scar tissue, vision will be limited.
2 Glaucoma. Glaucoma is the term given to an increase of pressure in the eye. About 30% of individuals who have cataract surgery suffer from glaucoma. It usually occurs in the first 24 hours after surgery. In most cases the condition is temporary and can be easily resolved with the appropriate treatment. If the condition does not resolve easily, there will be a need for ongoing medication and possibly more surgery otherwise glaucoma can result in blindness in the affected eye. If it is left uncontrolled, not only can it be painful but it may also result in the loss of the eye i.e. the surgical removal of the eye.
3 Retinal detachment. Unfortunately, if your retina becomes detached as a result of cataract surgery, you are likely to lose sight in the affected eye. Surgical re-attachment of the retina is sometimes possible but the success rate for this procedure is not very high.
4 Inability to put an IOL in place. In very rare instances, it is not possible to put an IOL in place. Although people do see better following the removal of the lens, they are more far sighted. They still have some vision because about two thirds of focusing in the eye is actually done by the cornea. However, this vision will be nowhere near perfect because the lens has not been replaced.
5 Intraocular infection. Again this is a rare complication but if it does occur not only is your eye likely to lose all vision but the affected eye may need to be surgically removed.
And, of course, there are always risks associated with any form of surgery. With today's advanced surgical techniques and much improved anaesthesia, such risks are only small but they are real. Even apparently healthy people have been known to die under anaesthetic. |
How much will cataract surgery cost me?Because cataract surgery requires expensive and specialized equipment, and is performed by specially trained optometrist surgeons, surgery is expensive. Your optometrist will be able to give you an idea of the costs involved for your surgery in the area where you live. Remember also that unless you have some form of comprehensive insurance cover that will help towards these costs, you will be picking up the whole of the bill yourself. |
