I don't want to sound alarmist, but if after cataract surgery you have any symptoms, such as severe pain, reduced quick-onset vision, progressive swelling or redness of the eye, or smelly discharge from the eye after surgery, you should urgently see your eye doctor. Infections after cataract surgery are rare, but if you have one, you'll get an injection of antibiotics in your eye. In some cases, the doctor also removes the vitreous, the clear gel found in the center of the eye, to prevent the infection from spreading. Suprachoroidal hemorrhage can occur in people with diabetes, high blood pressure, or other conditions that exist after cataract surgery.
Endophthalmitis is the most serious complication of cataract surgery and can occur after routine cases. Recovery from cataract surgery usually lasts a short time, and you can resume many of your normal daily activities. Whether or not you need eyeglasses after cataract surgery depends largely on the type of intraocular lens (IOL) that is implanted in the eye. Because cataract surgery only involves the surface layers of the eye, over-the-counter pain relievers generally help.
In addition, while serious complications from cataract surgery are rare, pharmacists should familiarize themselves with the risks and pharmacological treatment of postoperative endophthalmitis. This is the most common complication of most cataract surgeries and appears up to 8 weeks after the procedure. This complication of cataract surgery can occur during the first week. Although rare, it can cause irreversible blindness.
Because the symptoms of normal side effects and serious complications are so similar, you might be wondering when it's worth calling your doctor after cataract surgery. Some of the complications of cataract surgery aren't as complicated as the expected side effects. Up to half of people who have cataract surgery will experience some increase in eye pressure after the procedure, but pressure levels usually return to normal within 24 hours. This is rare, but it's more common in people who had other eye conditions besides cataracts, even before surgery.
