Cataract Surgery Complications Decline

Cataract Surgery complications declined by approximately 20% in the most risk prone group of Medicare patients treated between 1994-1995 as compared to those having Cataract Surgery between 2005-2006 according to a study in the June 2011 Ophthalmology journal that evaluated some 220,000 patients. It is interesting to note that one half of one percent (0.5%) had a severe complication and that these were typically associated with a prior diagnosis of proliferative diabetic retinopathy or who were having another intraocular eye surgery procedure on the day of their Cataract Surgery. Among the least risk prone group of patients having Cataract Surgery the complication rate declined by 48%. The authors concluded that it would be important to find ways to reduce the severe adverse events in high risk groups as research goes forward.