Cataract Surgery, Dry Eye and Vision

Question: I had Cataract Surgery with presbyopia correction surgery 4 weeks ago. My vision is extremely blurry. The eye is extremely dry and the pupil of the eye that had the surgery is larger than the eye that did not. Could the blurriness possibly be from the dry eye and enlarged pupil?

Answer: Dry eye after Cataract Surgery is not an uncommon symptom as it is thought that Cataract Surgery can either cause a temporary dry eye to occur or even exacerbate a mild preexisting dry eye condition. Dry eye can also cause blurred vision that typically gets better and clears upon blinking. You do not say that there is any pattern to the blurriness and you report that the vision is extremely blurry so the dryness might or might not be contributing to this. The fact that your pupil is "enlarged" 4 weeks after Cataract Surgery is not a typical finding and it needs an explanation sooner rather than later especially in light of the poor vision. There may be no relationship between your poor vision and the enlarged pupil or it may be significant and related. Speak to your Cataract Surgeon and ask for a clear explanation. If you are unable to get one that is satisfactory, it is completely appropriate to seek a second opinion from a top Cataract Surgeon in your area regarding the dryness, the poor vision and the enlarged pupil.

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