What is a cataract?

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye. This affects vision because light needs to pass through the lens and hit the retina for us to see. The clouding obstructs that, resulting in a variety of symptoms. 

People suffering from cataracts may note any of the following changes to their vision:

• Difficulty driving at night due to perceptions of headlights being too bright
• Frequent changes in eyeglass or lens prescriptions
• Abnormal or drastically altered colour perception
• Cloudiness or fogginess in their vision
• Issues with glare from light sources
• Overall poor night vision
• Double vision

The effects of cataracts can happen to people of any age but they are most common among the elderly, especially in Singapore. Here, over 80% of people aged at least 60 have some type of cataract, according to a study carried out by the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC), a member of the SingHealth group.

Fortunately, most cataract cases may be addressed with surgery. Furthermore, about 97% of cataract surgeries are successful.

How should elderly patients prepare for cataract surgery?

For those who need to prepare themselves or elderly patients in their care for cataract surgery, the following tips may be of use: 

1. Confirm your pre-surgery preparations with your doctor - Your eye surgeon will give you notes on what to do here. However, here are the most common ones you can expect:
   • Adjust your medications as advised, e.g. by pausing aspirin/blood thinner medication or eye-drop usage
   • Confirm with your doctor that any other health conditions (e.g. diabetes) you have are not putting you at risk before the surgery
   • Depending on your situation, you may be asked to take antibiotic medication even before the procedure
   • Avoid anything alcoholic for at least 24 hours before the surgery
   • Avoid wearing contact lenses for at least 3 days before the surgery 
   • Fast for 12 hours before the procedure
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2. ‍Conduct some psychological preparation - Do whatever you need to ease your anxiety before the surgery. This may include the following steps:‍
   • Get detailed explanations from your doctor about the surgery so you know what it entails.
   • Ensure someone will be there to help you if you need a little aid during the recovery period.

What are the potential complications of cataract surgery?

Again, cataract surgery is generally safe. Still, knowing the possible complications can help you know what to look out for if something goes wrong. 

This matters because just about all of these complications are easy to deal with in their early stages. The sooner they are identified, the better for the patient.

Here are the main potential complications of cataract surgery:

• Inflammation - A little redness or swelling around the eye area. This can be treated with eye drops and is fairly normal.
• Infection - May be indicated by a high sensitivity to light, extreme redness in the area, or sudden pain and vision problems. This should be addressed as soon as possible, so call your doctor immediately for treatment.
• Retinal detachment - Can feel like a curtain has fallen over part of the eye, or like flashes of light and floating spots are in your vision. Again, this should be treated right away, so call your doctor immediately.

It’s also worth noting that elderly patients may face unique challenges post-surgery:

• Slower healing due to age-related factors
• Pre-existing conditions complicating recovery, e.g. glaucoma
• Increased risk of anaesthesia-related complications 

Our advice is to schedule and keep follow-up visits with the ophthalmologist during recovery. This will help you ensure that the eye is healing properly.

Allow us to screen you for a possible cataract surgery today

Ultimately, proper preparation and awareness of the possible complications can do a lot to make a patient feel better even in the face of cataract surgery. This applies whether the patient is elderly or not.

If you want to learn more about cataract surgery or whether or not you need it, reach out to us. We can assess you for a wide range of eye issues and treatments. Call us to enquire or book an appointment for a cataract screening today.Cataract surgery is among the most common eye surgical procedures in Singapore. Mount Elizabeth Hospitals even estimate around 25,000 cataract surgeries on the island per year.Like every other surgery, however, it can have side effects. Cataract surgery complications in elderly patients are worth keeping an eye out for.For best results, patients and their caregivers should know what to expect and how to prepare.