What Are The Risks Or Complications With Cataract Surgery?

– Red-eye: You may notice blood on the surface or bruising around the eye, which will gradually improve each day.

– Grittiness: Your eye may feel gritty. This will settle within the first couple of weeks but minor grittiness can persist for a couple of months in some people. This will gradually improve with the eye drops. Lubricant drops can help relieve the grittiness, once the post op drops are finished.

– Adjusting to the new lens: It takes weeks to adjust to the lens. Most people notice a big improvement in their vision soon after surgery, but it can still take time for the eyes to adjust to the difference in seeing through the new lens. For people needing distance or multifocal spectacles after surgery, you need to wait 6 weeks for the vision to stablise. You can wear ready made readers during this time.

Side effects to look out for include vision deteriorating, increasing redness or eye pain.

Complications following cataract surgery are uncommon and occur in only around 2%. Most complications can be treated, although sight-threatening complications may rarely occur (less than 1 in every 1000).

All surgical procedures are associated with risks. While every attempt is made to minimise risks, complications still can, and do happen, even in the most experienced hands, and a complication may have permanent effects, causing you to lose your vision. Complications can occur even if the surgery has been carried out perfectly.