Should Patients Have Cataract Surgery on Both Eyes at Once?
-
Age-related cataracts usually affect both eyes. In most cases, the clouded endogenic lens is replaced surgically with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL), with a few weeks between eye surgeries. However, the cataract surgery can alternatively be performed on both eyes on the same day, with potential advantages and disadvantages. A recent Cochrane review concluded that, overall, there are unlikely to be any large, clinically important differences between the results of both approaches. However, the quality of evidence of the study results summarized in the systematic review was assessed as moderate to very low. German professional societies still do not recommend the simultaneous bilateral cataract operation.
-
@pratap The potential advantages of simultaneous or immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS) vs delayed sequential bilateral cataract surgery (DSBCS) include the following points:
Fewer hospital visits
Faster recovery of bilateral vision
Lower costs for the procedure
In contrast, a possible disadvantage of ISBCS is the risk of both eyes developing postoperative complications simultaneously. In addition, the simultaneous method renders it impossible to use the visual acuity from the first operation for the second operation.