The risks associated with cataract surgery include serious complications
(e.g., endophthalmitis) which may result in vision worse than that prior to
surgery or in total vision loss. Other complications (e.g., cystoid macular edema or CME) may require additional medications or prolonged follow-up, but do not necessarily result in long-term vision loss.
Early emergent complications that may arise following cataract surgery include ocular hypertension, malignant glaucoma, would leak with shallow or flat anterior chamber, endophthalmitis, iris prolapse or vitreous in the wound, intraocular lens dislocation, retinal break and detachment. Early less-emergent complications include ptosis, diplopia, wound leak with well-formed anterior chamber, acute corneal edema, hyphema, anterior uveitis, intraocular lens decentration/pupillary capture, choroidal detachment, and anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Intermediate to late complications include ptosis, diplopia, ocular hypertension or glaucoma, epithelial downgrowth, chronic corneal edema/corneal decompensation, late hyphema, chronic anterior uveitis, posterior capsular opacity, pseudophakic cystoid macular edema.