Is it safe to delay cataract surgery with stable vision?

Question

Hello doctor,

I hope you are well.

A 69-year-old friend of mine, who has significant anxiety, was diagnosed with cataracts two years ago. Their vision is still clear, and they can do daily activities without trouble. She had a glaucoma evaluation 10 years ago. Recently, cataract removal was suggested to help with glaucoma assessment.

Due to her mental health, surgery is planned for late 2026.

Since her vision has been stable for the past ten years, is it safe to wait before doing cataract surgery?

Does the absence of visual deterioration suggest a low likelihood of glaucoma, or should further evaluation be considered before making this determination?

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thank you for reaching out.

Glaucoma often begins with peripheral vision loss, which patients may not notice. Early stages usually go undetected without specialist evaluation, and central vision loss indicates advanced disease.

For this 69-year-old person, it is important to obtain additional clinical details before concluding. These include:

The stage of glaucoma (if present).
The extent of visual field loss.
The intraocular (eye) pressure.

To assess these factors, the following evaluations are recommended:

Optic disc examination to determine structural changes.
Visual field analysis to evaluate functional vision loss.
Applanation tonometry to measure eye pressure.

There are several types of glaucoma. Given the recommendation for cataract surgery, angle-closure glaucoma may be a consideration, but this cannot be confirmed without further evaluation.

To determine whether she had glaucoma and if surgery can be delayed, a more detailed assessment is required. Additional tests, such as gonioscopy to examine the drainage angle, are important for an accurate diagnosis.

These evaluations are essential to confirm or rule out glaucoma and to determine the appropriate timing for surgery.

This will help us provide you with better recommendations.

If you have any more information or questions, please let us know.

Thank you.