Informed Consent For Cataract Surgery printable pdf download

STUART R. WINTHROP, M.D.

INFORMED CONSENT FOR CATARACT SURGERY

WHAT IS A CATARACT AND HOW IS IT TREATED?

The lens in the eye can become cloudy and hard, a condition known as a cataract. Cataracts can develop from

normal aging, from an eye injury, or if you have taken medications known as steroids. Cataracts may cause

blurred vision, dulled vision, sensitivity to light and glare, and/or ghost images. If the cataract changes vision so

much that it interferes with your daily life, the cataract may need to be removed. Surgery is the only way to

remove a cataract. You can decide not to have the cataract removed. If you don’t have the surgery, your vision

loss from the cataract will continue to get worse.

HOW WILL REMOVING THE CATARACT AFFECT MY VISION?

The goal of cataract surgery is to correct the decreased vision that was caused by the cataract. During the

surgery, the ophthalmologist (eye surgeon) removes the cataract and puts in a new artificial lens called an

intraocular lens or IOL. Cataract surgery will not correct other causes of decreased vision, such as glaucoma,

diabetes, or age related macular degeneration. Most people still need to wear glasses or contact lens after

cataract surgery for either near and/or distance vision and astigmatism.

WHAT TYPES OF IOLS ARE AVAILABLE?

Your ophthalmologist will help you decide on the type of IOL that will replace your cloudy lens. There are IOLs

available to treat nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. IOLs usually provide

either near or distance vision: these single focus lenses are called monofocal IOLs. Some newer IOLs provide for

near, intermediate, and distance vision: these multiple focus lenses are called multifocal IOLs. IOLs that treat

astigmatism are called toric IOLs. You can also have one eye corrected for near vision and the other for distance

vision, a choice called monovision.

WHAT IS ASTIGMATISM? ARE THERE OTHER TREATMENTS FOR IT?

Patients with nearsightedness and farsightedness often also have astigmatism. An astigmatism is caused by an

irregularly shaped cornea; instead of being round like a basketball, the cornea is shaped like a football. This can

make your vision blurry. In addition to toric IOLs, astigmatism can be reduced by glasses, contact lenses and

refractive surgery (LASIK or PRK). There is also a procedure called a limbal relaxing incision (LRI), which can be

done at the same time as the cataract operation, or as a separate procedure. A limbal relaxing incision (LRI) is a

small cut or incision the ophthalmologist makes into your cornea to make its shape rounder. Any attempt at

astigmatism reduction could result in over-or-under-correction, in which case glasses, contact lenses, or another

procedure may be needed.

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR RISKS OF CATARACT SURGERY?

All operations and procedures are risky and can result in unsuccessful results, complications, injury, or even

death, from both known and unknown causes. The major risks of cataract surgery include, but are not limited to

bleeding; infection; injury to parts of the eye and near by structures from the anesthesia, the operation itself, or

pieces of the lens that cannot be removed; high eye pressure; a detached retina, and a droopy eyelid. The major

risks of a limbal relaxing incision are similar to those for cataract surgery, but also could include loss of vision,

damage to the cornea, and scarring; under-or-over-correction could occur.

Depending on your eye and the type of IOL, you may have increased night glare or halos, double vision, ghost

images, impaired depth perception, blurry vision, and trouble driving at night. The ophthalmologist might not be

able to put in the IOL you choose. In addition, the IOL may later need to be repositioned or replaced.

Depending on the type of anesthesia, other risks are possible, including cardiac and respiratory problems, and, in

rare cases, death.

There is no guarantee that cataract surgery or astigmatism reduction will improve your vision. As a result of the

surgery and/or anesthesia, it is possible that your vision could be made worse. In some cases, complications

may occur weeks, months or even years later. These and other complications may result in poor vision, total loss

of vision, or even the loss of the eye in rare situations. You may need additional treatment or surgery to treat

these complications. This additional treatment is not included in the fee for this procedure.

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Informed Consent For Cataract Surgery

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