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Eye Care Archive (Expert Forum)
Cataract surgery for people who had a heart attack
Our Ask A Doctor Ophthalmology Forum is where you can post your question and receive a personal answer from physicians affiliated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Cataract surgery for people who had a heart attack
by Nadik, Jun 26, 2006 12:00AM
My father recently had a heart attack, and a surgery. He has been diagnosed with cataract of both eyes 2 weeks ago. What is the risk of having the cataract surgery for him, and what does he need to consider?
Doctor's Answer
by Forum-OD-MP, Jun 27, 2006 12:00AM
i personally would not consider past history of heart attack as being particularly dangerous for cataract surgery, but i am not a surgeon, either. cataract surgery is performed with local (not general) anesthesia, so blood pressure and vascular problems arent as important as they are in general anesthesia surgeries...
He will be able to see a little but if his nerves can withstand it , it is the best way to go because he can just get up and walk out of the operating room. His eye will be bandaged but it is no worse that having a tooth filled.May not even need to take a tylenol.
If he has been through a heart attack, he will think this is nothing by comparison. The main thing is to breathe and consentrate on how wonderful it is that they can do this surgery.The results of being able to see well again in such a brief time seem miraculous.
I had no anesthesia and the most nerve racking aspects were having my head taped down and being told not to move when I felt as though I was frozen stiff anyway.
When my father hsd his open heart surgery, he got interested in the process and the surgery itself was not as bad as living with the knowledge that his heart was weaker.He was very brave but a little jumpy--as heart conditions can influence one to become. It would seem that taking a oouple of valiums might help your relative--all depends on his mind set(my opinion).Wish you well!