Floaters after cataract surgery

Although cataract surgery is hugely beneficial (with an almost 100% success rate), there are, naturally, some potential side effects. You might have heard about floaters after cataract surgery, something that is quite common but probably not for the reason you might think.

Read on to discover what floaters are, why so many people notice them after a cataract operation, when they need checking out, and what can be done about them.

Floaters After Cataract Surgery: why they occur and treatment

• What are floaters?
• Why you might get floaters after cataract surgery
• When to get floaters checked urgently
• The simple treatment for floaters after cataract surgery

What are floaters?

Floaters are small, often translucent, dots, squiggles, or shapes in your line of sight that move as you try to focus on them. They are caused by tiny clumps of protein (collagen) that float around within the vitreous—the jelly-like substance inside the eye. Because they’re not attached to anything, they’re free to float around, hence their name.

They cause the light flow through the eye to be slightly dispersed, causing a shadow on the retina. If you suffer, you’ve probably noticed that you can’t look directly at a floater—if you try, they smoothly “float” across your vision. This is because they’re suspended within the jelly of the eye, so move as you shift your gaze.

It’s a really common condition that affects people of all ages, with or without cataracts, and floaters aren’t usually the sign of anything to worry about.

Why you might get floaters after cataract surgery

The most common reason for getting floaters after cataract surgery is that they were there all along. Because your vision was negatively affected by the cataract, you simply couldn’t see them. The reason you’re noticing them now is that your eyesight is much sharper and clearer than it was before. In other words, the cataract shielded the floaters from your view.

There are some other, more serious, reasons that floaters can appear. While rare, it’s worth knowing that the trauma caused during a cataract operation can cause conditions such as Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD) or retinal detachment. Both of these can cause floaters to appear.

Because of this, if you do experience any new floaters in the weeks or months after your cataract operation, then it’s vital to go back to your ophthalmologist to be checked out.

When to get floaters checked urgently

If there’s a more serious reason behind the floaters, such as a retinal detachment or PVD, then you’ll need urgent care. Treatment for both is well-proven and highly successful, and the key to a successful outcome is early intervention.

This means that if you experience any of the following in conjunction with the appearance of new floaters, you should seek professional advice as soon as possible:

• Flashes of light.
• The appearance of a dark curtain sweeping across your vision—usually from the top of the eye or one of the upper corners.
• Any shadows in your peripheral vision.
• Any loss of vision.
• Eye pain.
• A red eye.

The simple treatment for floaters after cataract surgery

If the floaters aren’t caused by anything serious and aren’t particularly bothersome, then your surgeon will probably suggest taking no action.

If a floater or floaters are too troublesome, there are a couple of procedures that can help. Far less intrusive is a procedure called YAG laser vitreolysis. This simple, fast treatment takes a few minutes and is used to dissolve the floaters. Your ophthalmologist can carry it out in his or her office, and you’ll return home straight afterward. It’s highly successful.

The more invasive option is known as a vitrectomy and involves removing the natural eye jelly and replacing it with a saline solution. As you can imagine, this is a pretty major treatment and is reserved for only the most serious of problems. In reality it is rarely performed.

Other Possible Side Effects of Cataract Surgery

• Side effects and treatment

Side effects and treatment

Other side effects that affect some people after cataract surgery are light flashes or shadows. The medical name for these conditions are:

Positive dysphotopsias: or light flashes, most usually in the peripheral vision

Negative dysphotopsias: seeing shadows in the peripheral vision

These are usually transient and disappear a few days after treatment. They’re caused by the artificial lens, its placement, material, and design. They are very common—it’s believed up to 50% of people have them in the first few days following surgery. Once the eye and brain have become accustomed to their new normal, they usually fade.

If they don’t go away, your cataract surgeon will advise if a new artificial lens might need to be considered.

Blurred or double vision is another common side effect for a few days or weeks after surgery. Again, this usually rectifies itself as your eyes and brain learn to adjust to the new lens and improved vision.

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