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Surgery for Glaucoma and a Cataract
Surgery for Glaucoma and a Cataract
Overview
Cataracts may occur in people who also have glaucoma. This commonly occurs in older adults.
If you have glaucoma and cataracts, you may consider having surgery for both conditions at the same time. Depending on which condition caused the vision loss, you may have improved vision after surgery.
- If the vision loss before surgery was mostly caused by the cataract, you may have noticeable improvement in your vision. Also, surgery may delay the progression of vision loss caused by glaucoma.
- If the vision loss before surgery was mostly caused by glaucoma, rather than the cataract, you may not have much improvement in vision after surgery. But surgery may slow the loss of vision caused by glaucoma.
Cataract surgery alone is quicker and less complicated than having both surgeries at the same time.
In many cases where glaucoma and cataracts occur together, surgery to treat both conditions may be done at the same time.
If you have both glaucoma and cataracts, talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks of combined surgery to treat both conditions.
Current as of: January 24, 2022
Author:
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Christopher J. Rudnisky MD, MPH, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
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Related Links
Cataracts
Glaucoma
Cataracts: Questions About Surgery
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