Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration After Cataract Surgery

Abstract

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness globally.¹ Associated with aging, it caused blindness in 17.6 million people and accounts for 48% of blindness worldwide.¹ Surgery is the most effective and common treatment to restore vision in people with cataract. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people aged 65 years or older in the United States.^2,3 Because both conditions are strongly age-related, many individuals with cataract also have AMD. There has been a long-standing controversy among clinicians as to whether cataract surgery is contraindicated in eyes with nonneovascular AMD.^4-8 A major concern has been whether cataract surgery increases the risk of progression to neovascular AMD in eyes at risk of progression such as those with intermediate AMD (extensive medium-sized drusen, large drusen, or nonfoveal geographic atrophy).