When should I have cataract surgery?

Having surgery to your eye can be a daunting prospect. It is important to find a surgeon who you trust and connect with. There are a number of options and terms that are used but it boils down to getting the cloudy lens out safely and having precise assessment and measurements to select and insert a top quality lens.

Interestingly, the fact that you have a cataract does not automatically mean that you must have surgery. Eye surgery is all about quality of life and this is basis by which we decide to operate.

If there is no cataract then the decision is easy. If some cataract is seen in the eye, then the decision is down how the cataracts are affecting your sight. For example, if your vision is affecting your everyday life, such as working, driving or reading this may mean that it is the right time for you to have surgery.

Complications from cataract surgery are rare, but all surgery has risks, if you aren’t having any problems with your sight you may not need the surgery straight away.

Sometimes your ophthalmologist may want to delay surgery. They might do this if they have concerns about the health of your eye because of another eye condition. If you do have an eye condition, for example glaucoma, complications related to diabetes, age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa, it is often still possible to have successful cataract surgery. If you do have another eye condition as well as your cataracts, having your cataracts removed can help make sure that you have the best sight possible.

If you only have sight only in one eye your ophthalmologist may want to delay surgery for this eye until your vision is worse, so the benefits of surgery outweigh the risks.