Diseases & Conditions
What is dropless cataract surgery?
Ask the doctor
Q. My neighbor told me she recently underwent "dropless" cataract surgery and seemed pleased by that aspect of the procedure. What does it involve?
A. Among the most common surgical procedures done in the United States, cataract surgery had long required patients to use expensive eye drops afterward to promote healing and lower the risk of infection. Many people find these antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops are also inconvenient, since they must be administered several times a day at strict intervals for up to six weeks.
Recently, however, eye surgeons have been able to administer a medication into the eye during cataract surgery that eliminates the need for drops afterward. The drug, called TriMoxi, combines a steroid and an antibiotic to protect against eye swelling and infection. But some patients — including those with diabetes or certain eye conditions — can't get dropless cataract surgery. And the medication may also lead to side effects, such as blurry vision or floaters, for a few weeks after the procedure. Anyone contemplating cataract surgery should ask her ophthalmologist if the dropless procedure might be an option.
Image: © Norman Zeb/Getty Images
About the Author
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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