Blurred eyes after surgery

For many friends with cataracts, surgery is generally chosen for treatment. But after the cataract surgery, I found that my eyes were still blurry and I couldn't see clearly. Why is this? Does it mean that the cataract surgery has no effect and was done in vain? Actually, it’s not. Generally speaking, this situation has a lot to do with the patient's physical condition or post-operative recovery.

Does this mean the surgery was in vain? Not at all!

If you want to know the causes and countermeasures of cataract, please press and hold the QR code below to listen to the wonderful explanation from Professor Li Zhaohui, Director of the Ophthalmology Department of the PLA General Hospital and a famous cataract expert.

Main cause: Delayed onset of dysplasia is related to age and regenerative ability

After-cataract is actually the regeneration of remaining lens epithelial cells during cataract surgery. As the name suggests, people with stronger regenerative ability are more likely to suffer from after-cataract. The younger the person, the stronger the regenerative ability, and the older the person, the weaker the regenerative ability. Therefore, the incidence of after-cataract is inversely proportional to age.

From statistical data and actual clinical results, it can be seen that if congenital cataracts in infants are not treated, they will 100% develop secondary cataracts. The older people are, for example, when they reach 90 years old, their regenerative ability becomes weaker and the chance of developing secondary cataracts is very low.

"With the improvement of surgical techniques and the continuous improvement of the materials, production technology and design technology of artificial lenses, the incidence of cataracts can also be reduced through physical methods," said Professor Li Zhaohui. "Nowadays, surgical techniques are constantly updated and gradually become more detailed and precise. The incidence of cataracts has dropped to a very low level. Patients do not need to worry too much about cataracts or delay cataract treatment because of the possibility of cataracts."

During cataract surgery, the doctor will implant an artificial lens for the patient. The material, production technology and design technology of the artificial lens will affect the incidence of subsequent cataract to a certain extent.

Other reasons: patients with common diseases are also prone to cataract

In addition to age factors, there are some other factors that are prone to secondary cataracts, such as diabetic patients, uveitis patients, and patients after glaucoma surgery. The reason why these people are more likely to develop secondary cataracts is mainly because the probability of preoperative or postoperative inflammatory reactions is higher than that of simple cataract patients, and the degree of inflammatory reaction is more severe. Therefore, when dealing with this type of patient, we must not only consider the issue of lens selection, but also ensure that the surgical techniques and preoperative perioperative care are in place, and that more precise treatment is required during the operation.

Professor Li Chaohui emphasized that the patient's needs and different characteristics should be considered in the selection of artificial lenses, and lenses with right-angled square edges or posterior convexity should be selected as much as possible so that the lens and posterior capsule fit tightly. Lenses with right-angled square edges have an inhibitory effect on the migration of lens epithelial cells. However, most of the artificial lenses currently used in clinical practice have already achieved this, so there is no need to worry too much about the choice of artificial lenses.

Professor Li Chaohui specializes in cataract phacoemulsification surgery, and has performed more than 50,000 surgeries. He has also given live surgical demonstrations at national ophthalmology conferences many times.

Expert advice:

Controlling blood sugar and local inflammation can reduce the incidence of dyslipidemia

So, in order to reduce the incidence of postoperative complications, what should we pay attention to during the perioperative, intraoperative and postoperative care stages?

Professor Li Zhaohui mentioned the following three key points:

1. Before surgery, the patient must have a comprehensive and systematic understanding and control of the local eye condition and systemic condition. For patients with high blood sugar, blood sugar should be controlled at a safe level. Checking the glycated hemoglobin index can reflect the recent blood sugar control level. Whether blood sugar is controlled stably in the near future has a great impact on the effect of surgery. If blood sugar is too high, the foreign body reaction of the artificial lens will be aggravated, and the wound will be difficult to heal, increasing the risk of infection. For this reason, diabetic patients should not take it lightly. In addition, for patients with local inflammation, it is best to control the local inflammation in a relatively stable state. Especially for patients with uveitis, it is recommended to observe whether the inflammation recurs within three months before the operation. At the same time, drugs that inhibit inflammatory responses should be used in advance before the operation to ensure the safety of the operation.

2. The doctor should be careful during the operation. The size of the capsulotomy should be appropriate, the remaining cortex of the lens, especially the remaining lens epithelial cells, should be handled more meticulously, the posterior capsule should be polished well, and the artificial lens must be implanted into the capsular bag. Details like these have a good inhibitory effect on the migration of artificial lens epithelial cells.

3. Postoperative medication is critical. Postoperative medications are usually hormones or non-carrier anti-inflammatory drugs, which can inhibit the production of inflammatory responses and thus reduce the incidence of subsequent complications. Therefore, postoperative medication must be taken in accordance with the doctor's orders. Patients cannot stop or change medications at will, or extend the medication time at will. Therefore, regular follow-up visits are required in the near future after surgery, especially within one month after surgery. The doctor will give the patient specific treatment recommendations based on the patient's postoperative response.