What Are Risks of Cataract Surgery After Corneal Transplants?

April 2, 2012

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Patient Letter to the Editor

Family member has lattice dystrophy in both eyes.  17 years ago both eyes had corneal transplants (albeit not a same time).  2 years ago right eye had another corneal transplant again.  1 month ago left eye cornea transplant again.

Right eye has developed cataracts to the point of cloudy vision.  Left eye has a cataract also, but as the transplant surgery was only 3 weeks or so ago and so that eye is still healing and vision can’t be measured.

My question is:  can cataract surgery be performed after someone has had corneal transplants?  If so, what are the possible negatives in this situation? Will it prevent in any way future corneal transplants as they become necessary? Let me add that after right eye surgery the vision was crystal clear with a contact lens – but recently vision quickly degraded due to aggressive cataract.

We are advised by ophthalmologist that this aggressive and fast growing cataract issue was caused by the steroids/anti rejection drops.

 

 

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Filed in Cataract, Cornea, Patient Questions


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5 Responses to “What Are Risks of Cataract Surgery After Corneal Transplants?”

  • Ronald Stage
    on February 25, 2016 1:28 pm

    Thoughts on cataract surgery on same eye with past history of corneal rejection episodes?

  • Raafat KHAIRY
    on July 9, 2015 1:12 pm

    i had a corneal graft in 1990 in lt eye.vision is moderate with astigmatism -4D..Recently night vision deteriorated and i discovered that i have cataract.Do I need a cataract operation and what are the risks on the graft and the eye??
    NB.the rt eye has keratoconus and no graft and vision is v poor…

  • ari
    on February 26, 2014 3:35 pm

    vision should be normal no more than 1 month after cataract surgery.

  • Vivian
    on February 13, 2014 6:35 pm

    I had a cornea transplant, 2 years ago, later I had cataract surgery ( twice on same eye ) how long before my full vision returns?

  • ari
    on April 3, 2012 9:17 am

    transplant has no bearing on the surgery. getting the correct implant calculations may be a little tricky. if the surgery is a little difficult, the transplant may fail- depends on the health of the endothelium. but it’s irrelevant-if the vision is poor, you have no choice.
    agree that the steroids acceleated the cataract. canot be helped.