What are the risks of having cataract surgery if I have diabetes?
In most cases, patients with diabetes can safely undergo any kind of eye surgery. However, your overall health and absence of any other medical concerns will determine whether or not you are a candidate for eye surgery.
In rare situations, your overall health or other medical concerns may need you to postpone eye surgery. To find out if you are a candidate for eye surgery and when it would be best for you to have the procedure, consult with an ophthalmologist.
Prior to any major surgical procedure, you will likely have an appointment with sydney eye clinic or ophthalmologist to make sure your diabetes is not affecting your eyesight.
First, you’ll want to get your eyes checked by an optometrist for a quick check-up, and then you may visit an ophthalmologist for a more thorough examination. Additional care will be discussed and planned for in the weeks leading up to your scheduled eye surgery.
All of the medical professionals working on you, from the ophthalmologist to the anaesthesiologist to the surgical nurses and the clinical team, are well-versed in caring for patients with diabetes and are committed to ensuring that you have the best possible surgical outcome. Care of this calibre is provided before, during, and after operation.
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Does my HbA1c or blood sugar need to be under control before surgery?
Blood sugar level (BSL) levels tend to differ from patient to patient since diabetes is a complicated condition. Because of this, you should learn the proper methods for managing your diabetes from both your primary care physician and endocrinologist; there is no “one size fits all” solution.
If you want to keep your diabetes under control as much as possible, you may need to keep your average BSL or HbA1c level within a certain range. When you’re inside this range, you’re at peak health and safety for any medical or surgical operation, including eye surgery.
There is a low chance of problems after standard eye surgeries. To further improve your chances of a successful surgical outcome, however, you should ensure that your blood sugar and/or HbA1c levels are within the ‘safe’ range before the procedure.
Your ophthalmologist will coordinate with your primary care physician and endocrinologist to get you ready for surgery.
When I have my eyes fixed, do I have to fast?
Before undergoing eye surgery, patients are often told to abstain from all food and liquids. This is because some patients have a temporary loss of reflexes after receiving sedatives from their surgeon prior to an eye operation.
There is always the risk of choking or vomiting if there is food or liquid in your stomach. If this occurs, the food particles may go to the lungs, where they may obstruct or even damage the airways.
Talk to your eye surgeon ahead of time about your requirement for regular meals and fluids if you have diabetes. For this reason, diabetic patients are generally put at the front of the line for scheduled eye surgeries.
Should I stop taking my medicine before having surgery on my eyes?
Your ophthalmologist has to know about any and all medications you are taking, not only those for diabetes. It all depends on the sort of operation you’re having, but you may be asked to cease taking your medicine. If you’re having eye surgery, for example, you could be told to cease taking your blood thinners.
This is something that you and your treating doctors will need to address. You may feel confident that you will get detailed, written instructions well in advance of your operation if you need to make any adjustments to your regular prescriptions.
In order to have the most successful outcome from my upcoming eye surgery, what should I do in advance?
Before undergoing eye surgery, it’s advisable to follow the pre-op BSL optimisation recommendations of both your ophthalmologist and primary care physician/endocrinologist. The better your chances of having a successful operation and recovery, the longer your BSL stays within the recommended range for you (as determined with your doctor).
What can I expect if I have diabetes and need surgery?
After the procedure, you should be able to see beautifully. It’s possible that diabetic patients‘ “follow-up pathway” is modified slightly.
Your ophthalmologist may recommend more regular check- ups after surgery to check for any complications caused by your diabetes and its possible impact on your eyesight. You may end up needing to see an eye doctor more often than you anticipated, but this is temporary and will ultimately be to your benefit.
During my recuperation, what should I anticipate?
Recuperation following eye surgery often isn’t affected by diabetes. However, it’s possible that you’ll go through the typical recuperation hiccups. After having cataract surgery, for instance, many people report feeling like there’s something gritty in their eye.
Eyelid cleanliness, as instructed by your optometrist and/or ophthalmologist, and the postoperative eye drops supplied to you should help with this.
It’s vital that you report any unusual symptoms to your eye care team so they can be looked at. During your follow-up appointments after eye surgery, every member of your eye care team will assess your progress and provide recommendations for how to speed up your recovery.
Be sure to take it easy for at least a week after surgery. This includes putting aside time for things like golf, gardening, and swimming. Sunglasses are essential for protecting your retina from harmful UV rays throughout the healing process and should be worn at all times outside.
Your current glasses will work fine for reading and watching television. The likelihood of a prescription changes a month following surgery is high.
Maintain your usual routine of testing your blood sugar levels (BSL) and taking your diabetic medicines as directed by your primary care physician or endocrinologist.
Lastly
If you are having any question or inquiry about how to have a correct vision, cataract surgery, Laser eye surgery, laser vision correction, diabetic retinopathy, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, normally clear lens, vision loss, retinal conditions, short sightedness, – you should get in touch with us via our Personal Eye website to book your free assessment today.
Consider the factors outlined in this blog post, weigh the pros and cons, and most importantly, consult with a Sydney cataract surgeon at Personal Eyes before making the final decision.