Is it safe to have cataract surgery if you have nystagmus?
SEP 30, 2016
Question:
I am 59 years old and have congenital nystagmus (involuntary, rapid movement of the eyes). Now I have developed cataract in both eyes and need surgery. How would this surgery be performed while my eyeballs are moving? My ophthalmologist surgeon thinks he can handle it and wants to do it in local anesthesia. Would it be safe? Is there a safer way?
Answer:
I have performed cataract surgery on a number of patients with nystagmus, and I’ve never found it to be a particularly challenging problem. It is relatively straightforward to immobilize the eye with a second instrument while making incisions. Once the incisions are complete, having the surgical instruments in the eye dampens the nystagmus, and makes the procedure relatively routine.