Cataracts are the commonest cause of vision loss in people over the age of forty. They are caused by ageing of the natural lens of the eye which then loses its transparency and becomes cloudy. Modern cataract surgery is characterised by a quick recovery and a high success rate of around 98%. However, if you have an underlying condition such as diabetic retinopathy or age-related macular degeneration the decision to have cataract surgery can be much more challenging as good success rates are more unpredictable and difficult to achieve.
Diabetes and the Eye:
Diabetes affects approximately 3.5 million people in the UK. It causes damage to the small blood vessels in the retina (the light sensitive layer at the back of the eye) leading to diabetic retinopathy. Retinopathy can affect your vision if left untreated. If you suffer from diabetes you face a 60% greater risk of the developing cataracts. In addition, you are more prone to developing infections, inflammation and worsening of retinopathy after cataract surgery. With modern surgical techniques, improved non-invasive diagnostic tests and new intra-ocular drug therapies, these complications can be minimised leading to exceptional post-operative vision.
The success of your cataract operation depends on careful assessment of the retina and the cataract to determine which is the main cause of your symptoms of blurred vision. A pre-operative OCT scan is always carried out to detect swelling of the retina (macular oedema). If macular oedema is diagnosed at your pre-operative visit it must be treated first with either injections into the eyeball with new intra-ocular drugs or laser treatment. Further treatment maybe given at the time of cataract surgery and continued several months after. Long term follow-up is often required to monitor the retinopathy.
Life style tips to improve the success of your cataract surgery : eat healthy low-glycaemic food, lose weight through exercise, stop smoking, attend you diabetic screening appointments, maintain target blood pressure and blood glucose levels and if you have any eye problems see an Consultant eye surgeon (specialising in Retinal conditions).
Macular Degeneration and the Eye:
Macular degeneration affects approximately 600,000 people in the UK. It is caused by ageing or ‘wear and tear’ of the retina and is associated with permanent sight loss. If you have macular degeneration, cataract surgery carries a guarded prognosis, which means that the extent to which the sight can be restored cannot be guaranteed. Despite this, with timely surgery combined with intraocular injections and realistic expectations, you can experience unprecedented visual results.
The success of your cataract operation depends on careful assessment of both the cataract and the macular degeneration. It is important to explore what you hope to gain from the surgery in order to manage your expectations. You must understand how and why the underlying macular degeneration will limit your sight despite successful cataract surgery and what can be done to maximise the result. A pre-operative OCT scan is always carried out to diagnose whether you have the wet or dry type of macular degeneration. If wet macular degeneration is diagnosed at your pre-operative visit it must be treated with injections into the eyeball with intra-ocular drugs before proceeding with cataract surgery. Further treatment maybe given at the time of cataract surgery and continued several months after.
Life style tips to improve the success of your cataract surgery: eat healthy food including dark green leafy vegetables & oily fish, stop smoking, and if you have any eye problems see a Consultant eye surgeon (specialising in Retinal conditions).
