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How safe is cataract removal surgery? ?

What can go wrong- and how common are unsuccessful operations? Does anyone have any stories to tell? Also how long is recovery? Thanks.

Public Comments

1. my grandma had it on both eyes. she came home right from the hospital and was COMPLETELY fine, like nothing had even happened. they made her wear this patch thing to keep light off her eye, but she kept swearing that she didn't need it.
2. The only thing that can go wrong is it not working. Have got a friend who had both eyes done. Ones worked a treat, the other hasn't. Recovery is a couple of days
3. I've never heard of anyone who has had a problem, but there is a risk with any surgery. After a few days my Auntie and Grandma were able to see again without too many problems.
4. I'm told it's very safe. I have a cataract in my left eye that I was born with but there is no point removing it because the nerves that connect my eye to by brain did not develop and it was considered dangerous to operate on a baby for that in 1967
5. I know a few people who have had the surgery and they're fine. They were told not to bend down for a few days afterwards, that's all. I've never known anything go wrong.
6. My husband had successful surgeries on both eyes; the first cataract was particularly dense and hard. His results were perfect, with very little swelling from the ops and first-class vision in each eye shortly after each procedure. He was warned that there was maybe a 2% or lower chance of a detached retina, which would be why they usually do one eye at a time. Because it is usual to insert an artificial lens, this does not focus to allow for near-vision, so reading glasses are required to compensate. It's a small price to pay for such a major improvement, and my husband was well and truly ready for his glasses prescription a few weeks after his second surgery. The procedure is highly developed now with local anesthetics and minimal fuss; the operation itself only takes a few minutes. My husband was able to remove his patch the next morning, and though he had them handy, he didn’t really need or want to wear his sunglasses. I suppose the most tedious thing is having to apply 2-3 different types of drops several times a day for the next couple of weeks, but this is very important to avoid infection and eye-pressure, etc. My father also had his eyes done, and both my men remarked on the colours they could see when they removed their patches the next day. All in all, the risks are really minimal, especially if the patient adheres strictly to the aftercare regimen. The improvement in quality of life can be dramatic. My husband’s vision is now far better than mine and we are really pleased with the result.