Is cataract surgery safe after recent vitreous detachment

I was scheduled for cataract surgery but suffered a vitreous detachment a couple days before.  (I am 58 years old and extremely near-sighted.)   There was a lot of bleeding in my eye, but the surgeon said he didn't think there had been a retinal tear.  I've been recuperating now for almost two months.  The surgeon thinks the vitreous is clear enough.  He says it's o.k. to go ahead now with the cataract surgery.  
I'm worried about the risk of retinal detachment.  Should I wait longer for the cataract surgery?

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

I usually wait at least 3 or 4 months after a fresh vitreous detachment before cataract surgery but that is just my own personal thing.  Others might not wait so long.  In your case, unless I was 100% sure that I could see your entire peripheral retina and was completely sure there was no small, hard to see retinal tear, I would refer you to see a retinal specialist to make sure the retina was cleared for cataract surgery.  If everything OK with retina then there might actually be a lower risk of retinal detachment after cataract surgery since retinal detachments most commonly occur at the time of the original vitreous detachment.

MJK MD