Cataracts - Resources

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Factors that Increase Risk for Complications. The risks of complications are greater for the following people:

Patients who have other eye diseases.

People with diabetes. Intracapsular and extracapsular cataract extraction can pose a high risk for the development or worsening of retinopathy, a known eye complication of diabetes.

People who have taken tamsulosin (Flomax) or other alpha-1 blocker drugs. Tamsulosin is a muscle relaxant prescribed for treatment of several urinary conditions, including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Tamsulosin may cause intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS), a loss of muscle tone in the iris that can cause complications during eye surgery. Problems have been reported both for patients who were taking the drug during surgery as well as those who had stopped taking the drug weeks or months before surgery. Men who have taken tamsulosin or similar drugs should inform their eye surgeon. The surgeon may need to use different techniques to minimize the risk of IFIS and other complications.

Postoperative Care

Returning Home and Follow-up Visits.

Patients usually leave the surgical site within an hour of surgery. Cataract surgery almost never requires an overnight hospital stay.

Patients need someone to drive them home and stay with them for a few days until their vision improves.

The patient is usually examined the day after surgery and then during the following month. Additional visits occur as necessary.

Vision usually remains blurred for a while but gradually clears, usually over 2 - 6 weeks. (It can take longer.)

When the doctor decides the condition has stabilized, the patient will receive a final prescription for glasses or contacts.

Protecting the Eye. Postoperative protection of the eye typically involves:

The ophthalmologist usually tapes a bandage over the eye to protect it during the healing process.

When changing the bandage, the eye can be cleaned gently using a washcloth dipped in warm water without soap. A new bandage can then be positioned and taped.

It is very important not to press or rub the eye during this procedure.

An eye shield may be placed over the bandage at night.