Birmingham Cataract Surgeon & Corneal Specialist Marc Michelson, M.D., informed us about patients with diabetes having cataract surgery. “Cataract surgery can be successfully performed for patients with Diabetes. Diabetes is a known risk factor for developing cataracts and we certainly know that diabetic patients are also at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy-a serious threat to vision and a leading cause of new blindness,” stated Dr. Michelson.
Researchers believe that the abnormal carbohydrate and sugar metabolism that is the hallmark of diabetes causes the sugars and metabolic byproducts to damage the crystalline lens of the eye and form a cataract. Thus, it is not uncommon for diabetic patients to need cataract surgery often at an earlier age than others who are not diabetic. “Fortunately, while diabetes is known to cause difficulty with wound healing, the type of small incision cataract surgery that we perform today really poses no additional risk to diabetic patients than non diabetic patients.’ Explained dr. Michelson. It is important that diabetics considering cataract surgery have a careful evaluation of the retina-especially the macula-using ocular coherence tomography (OCT) to identify the presence of diabetic macular edema (DME), a known finding in diabetic retinopathy that can cause less then optimal results after Cataract Surgery. In addition, in certain situations cataract surgeons may take an added precaution of placing an injection of VEGF inhibitor such as Avastin™ or Lucentis™ into the vitreous of the eye to prevent new blood vessel growth. Other than these considerations diabetic cataract surgery can offer patients good results. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to preserving eye health and vision with diabetes. See your eye doctor regularly as he or she requests.
If you or someone you know has questions about diabetes and cataract surgery, please feel free to schedule an eye examination at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.
Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.
Bladeless All Laser LASIK at Michelson Laser Vision, Birmingham - Laser Cataract Surgery & Lens Implants at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, Birmingham.
