No increased risk of macular degeneration progression after cataract surgery

By Brooke Strickland (Writer for FEP International)

A recent study conducted out of Australia showed that there was no significant increase in risk of progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) after cataract surgery. Patients who were categorized as having high risk of their AMD progressing, were randomly designated into two groups. The first group underwent immediate cataract surgery, and the other group’s patients were not given surgery. All subjects were evaluated on their visual acuteness, quality of life, and fundus fluorescein angiography. After six months, the study showed that 3.7% developed choroidal neovasularization, which represents the beginning of an advanced stage of macular degeneration, compared with none in the control group that did not have surgery. In addition, those who had the surgery reported a two-fold improvement in quality of life scores [1].

There are several risk factors in developing cataracts. Some can be avoided, and some cannot.

Risks that can be reduced:
- Smoking cigarettes
- Use of eye drops with steroids
- Treatment of diabetes
- Dehydration

Risks that cannot be reduced:
- Age
- Genetic predisposition
- Short sightedness
- Inflammation in the eye
- Environmental factors
- Chronic exposure to ultraviolet light

Reference

1. Study finds no increased risk of macular degeneration progression after cataract surgery. Lasik News. http://www.lasiksurgerynews.com/news/macular-degeneration-after-cataract-surgery-August-2009.shtml Accessed on the web August 21, 2009.