Is there an age limit for cataract surgery? There's a reason many people think of cataract surgery as eye surgery for old people. There is no age limit for cataract surgery, and it has successfully improved the vision of seniors as old as 95.
Cataract surgery is safe for all ages. There is no age limit on when you can get the surgery.
Complications After Cataract Surgery
These problems can include infection, bleeding, inflammation (pain, redness, swelling), loss of vision, double vision, and high or low eye pressure.
By the same age, approximately 61 percent will have cataracts in at least one eye. White Americans have the highest risk factor. By age 75 at least 50% will have cataracts. By age 80, this rises to 70 percent.
For example, if you have advanced macular degeneration or a detached retina as well as cataracts, it's possible that removing the cataract and replacing it with a clear intraocular lens (IOL) might not improve your eyesight. In such cases, cataract surgery may not be recommended.
But is there such a thing as having cataract surgery too early or too late? Not exactly. While cataracts can be removed at any stage of development, Medicare and private insurance carriers will only cover the procedure when cataracts have begun to impact a patient's life as described above.
The Cons of Cataract Treatment
You might experience itching, discomfort, or pain during this process. Swelling and bleeding are also common side effects. It takes about eight weeks to heal from cataract surgery fully. Your eyes will need to adjust to the new lenses after surgery, which can cause discomfort.
A long-term consequence of cataract surgery is posterior capsular opacification (PCO). PCO is the most common complication of cataract surgery. PCO can begin to form at any point following cataract surgery.
Age is the greatest risk factor for cataracts. Age-related cataracts may develop between 40 and 50 years old. Where you live. Recent studies have shown that people who live in high altitudes are more at risk of developing cataracts.
Up to 50% of people experience blurred vision 2–5 years after cataract surgery due to posterior capsule opacification.
The anaesthetic should wear off a few hours after surgery, during which time you'll start to regain some feeling in your eye, but it could take a few days for your vision to return to normal. In general, it takes between 2 to 6 weeks to fully recover from the surgery.
Researchers found that participants who underwent cataract removal surgery had nearly 30% lower risk of developing dementia compared with participants without surgery, even after controlling for numerous additional demographic and health risks.
This might all sound serious, but cataract surgery is the most commonly performed elective procedure in Australia, with the average age for surgery being just under 76 years¹, and 90% of cataract operations performed on those aged 60 years and over ².
Cataracts are a common part of aging and the most common cause of vision loss around the world. In fact, according to My Cataracts, cataracts currently affect more than 20.5 million Americans over 40 years of age. By age 65, more than 90 percent of people in the United States will develop cataracts.
A cataract lens will last a lifetime, and the vast majority of patients do not experience any complications with their lenses after cataract surgery. In fact, the most common post-cataract surgery issue has nothing to do with your lens in particular.
However, in that 1-2 percent, there is still some risk when it comes to cataract surgery. Even though the procedure is almost always safe, it is important for patients to be aware of what might go wrong.
The critical period of therapy is just before surgery and until the wound no longer allows the ingress of organisms (probably 1 or 2 days after surgery in the vast majority of cases).
Do not bend over or do any strenuous activities, such as biking, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, for 2 weeks or until your doctor says it is okay. Avoid swimming, hot tubs, gardening, and dusting for 1 to 2 weeks. Wear sunglasses on bright days for at least 1 year after surgery.
Here are some things that you may want to avoid before and after cataract surgery to ensure that you heal properly. Avoiding eating and drinking before your surgery. Don't wear makeup to the surgery appointment, and avoid wearing makeup until your ophthalmologist allows it so that you can better prevent infection.
Although it's never too late to have a cataract removed, it is better to have cataracts removed while they are immature, as this reduces the length of surgery and the recovery time. Earlier removal also means that you avoid the significant visual impairment associated with very mature (hypermature) cataracts.
Delaying cataract surgery leads to progression of the grade of cataract. Depending on the type and grade of cataract, the delayed cataract surgery can become a risky procedure. The amount of energy needed to emulsify the hard lens increases and this can cause damage to the surrounding structures.
In a stage 3 cataract, symptoms will be similar to stage 2 but more severe affecting quality of life and daily activities. In addition, the most noticeable change will be that the lens has changed in color from slightly clear or opaque to completely white or deep amber.
There is no age limit for cataract surgery, and it has successfully improved the vision of seniors as old as 95.
Nearly 40 percent of all cataract surgeries are performed on patients in their 70s; roughly 25 percent of these surgeries are performed on people in their 80s and older, and just over 20 percent are performed on patients in their 60s.
What are the cataract operation risks? As with any eye surgery, there is a small risk of infection, blurred vision and detached retina. There is a very small risk, around one in 1,000, of permanent sight loss in the treated eye.