 Once
the decision has been made to proceed with cataract surgery,
the patient will sign an informed consent in which the risks
and benefits of this surgery are discussed. Certainly, no
surgery carries with it a 100% success rate, but modern cataract
surgery in uncomplicated cases has a success rate which approaches
99%. With that in mind, the following is an extensive list
of risks of cataract surgery which occur rarely and
include but are not limited to:
- Loss of best-corrected vision or blindness.
- Retinal
 detachment
or retinal tear.
- Internal eye hemorrhage that can result
in loss of vision or loss of the eye.
- Internal eye infection (endophthalmitis)
that, though treatable, may result in decreased vision or
blindness.
- Double vision, treatable in most cases
by special spectacle lenses.
- Dislocation of the crystalline lens
or intraocular lens, possibly requiring additional surgery
or intraocular lens exchange.
- Glaucoma (increased intraocular pressure
threatening loss of vision) that may require additional
medication or surgery.
 Edema
(fluid accumulation) in the retina resulting in decreased
vision.- Corneal edema (fluid accumulation
in the front of the eye) resulting in decreased vision or
pain that may require additional medications, treatment
or surgery.
- Disappointing or less than optimal
visual result due to pre-existing or subsequently occurring
conditions such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy
or scar tissue.
- Asymmetrical vision or increased astigmatism
in one eye compared with the other, requiring refractive
 correction,
possibly resulting in asthenopia (uncomfortable vision)
or glare and possibly requiring subsequent contact lens
or refractive surgical correction.
- Ptosis (droopy eyelid) that may appear
temporarily or may persist chronically, in some cases requiring
surgical correction.
- Unequal sized or misshapen pupils.
- Chronic eye irritation or inflammation
requiring medication and/or other treatment.
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