Risks and Limitations
Infection, serious injury, or even death, from known and unforeseen causes. Neither your surgeon nor the surgeon's staff can promise or guarantee that the procedure will be effective or make your vision better than it was before the procedure.

It is possible that the procedure or a complication arising from the procedure could make your vision worse or could injure your cornea or your retina, which could result in partial or total blindness, or could require a cornea transplant.

Certain inflammatory conditions can cause severe post-operative complications such as cornea or flap inflammation, or thinning of the corneal flap, which could result in permanent loss of vision.

In addition, because the procedure is fairly new, very little is known about the long-term effects of the procedure. During your preoperative examination, the likely outcomes (e.g. uncorrected vision) will be conveyed to you based on the level of your particular refractive error.

Although it is not possible to list every potential risk or complication that may result from the procedure, many of them are listed below.

• Under-correction or Over-correction
  
• Halos / Starbursts
  
• Equipment Malfunction
  
• Increased Light Sensitivity of the Eye / Fluctuating Vision
  
• Optical Imbalance
  
• Regression
• Increased Pressure in the Eye
• Fragility on Impact
• Eyelid Droop
• Corneal Ectasia
• Faulty or Improperly Created Flap
• Debris under the Flap or Infection under the Flap
• Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis or "Sands of the Sahara"
• Epithelial Erosion
• Epithelial Ingrowth
• Dry Eyes
• Vascular Occlusion
• Microscopic Corneal Surface Irregularities
• Excessive Corneal Haze
• Elevated IOP (Intraocular Pressure)

Related Information About Cataracts:

• Synchrony IOL  (pdf)  Synchrony website
• Surgery Center
• Patient Instructions
• Financial Responsibility
• CapitalOne Healthcare Finance
• Cataracts Main Page
• Procedures Available Main Page

Commonly Asked Questions:

How soon after surgery will I see well?
If you have an intraocular lens (IOL) implanted during surgery, normal vision should be restored within a few weeks.

Will cataract surgery hurt?
Sometimes general anesthesia is recommended: if you are especially frightened and don't wish to stay awake during the procedure; if there is a chance you might not be able to hold still; or if you have severe claustrophobia and cannot tolerate having your face covered during surgery. Children always need to have general anesthesia.

Will I still need my glasses or contacts?
Many people need a change in their eyeglass prescription following cataract surgery. Some will only need glasses for reading, and some may find they need glasses only rarely or not at all (especially with multifocal or accommodating lenses).

Will my insurance cover cataract surgery?
Most health care coverage plans do cover cataract surgery. Find out if your coverage plan requires a referral or prior authorization.
Find out more about it here.