How can one assess cataract progression symptoms at 65?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am asking this question for my mother-in-law, who is 65 years old. Over the past two to three years, her vision has been progressively worsening. The doctor diagnosed her with cataracts in both eyes. She believes it is a common part of aging and does not want treatment.

We have been living in the tropical country for the past four years, and she wants to undergo treatment in her home country, but we cannot travel there for the next two years. I am worried about her cataracts worsening and her potentially losing her vision completely.

Is it possible for her to regain full vision after surgery at her age?
How risky is the cataract surgery procedure?
Will she be able to resume her daily activities after the operation?

Please advise me on how to help her understand the importance and benefits of this surgery, as she is very stubborn. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

I am glad you chose icliniq for your medical-related queries.

I can understand your situation and your problem.

I completely understand your anxiety, and it is very common, so do not worry about that. As far as your mother-in-law is concerned, if she has cataracts now and her vision is blurry, it largely depends on the stage of her cataracts and how much her vision is affected.

If she is in the early stages, she may be able to manage most of her activities for months or even a year or two. However, it is important to understand that everyone is different, and cataract progression cannot be predicted; it will definitely progress with age and can accelerate if she has other conditions like diabetes.

Nonetheless, cataracts can be successfully treated nowadays, and surgeries are performed without injections and usually take only 20 to 30 minutes, making it a practically painless procedure. Please reassure your mother-in-law about this. Cataract surgery is typically a once-in-a-lifetime procedure; repeat surgeries are almost never necessary.

So, you can wait for two years, but remember that cataracts do progress, and your mother-in-law will eventually experience blurry vision. As long as other aspects like her retina and optic nerve are healthy, she will regain her vision after surgery and be able to resume all her routine activities very soon afterward.

Please encourage your mother-in-law as much as you can. If needed, you can always schedule a call with me.

You can always come back and reach me at icliniq.com.

Thank you for consulting me.