Can I have cataract surgery if I have dementia?
As cataracts and dementia are typically caused by increasing age, it is common for people with dementia to have cataracts and vice versa. It is possible to have cataract surgery if you have dementia and, in most cases, there are significant benefits to a person’s quality of life with undergoing cataract surgery. However, there are a few points to consider.
Patients need to remain still and calm during cataract surgery. In most patients with mild/moderate dementia they are able to do this, so it is generally better to have cataract surgery at this stage. In more advanced cases of dementia, the cataract operation may need to be performed under sedation or general anaesthesia.
After the surgery, it is important that patients don’t rub their eye. A plastic eye shield can be used to help prevent this. Also, carers may be required to help putting in eye drops that are needed after surgery.