Concerned about medication ahead of cataract surgery

Posted by lotsofpain @lotsofpain, Aug 29, 2021

I am most likely to have cateract surgery in the next few months and am concerned about what i have read about my medications - tamsulosin and finisteride having adverse effects on success of cateract surgery. should i completely change stop for a while take something else for a while

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Eye Conditions Support Group.

Hello, @lotsofpain, These are really good questions. Thank you starting this new thread with your question. We cannot offer medical advice as we do not have medical credentials but we can offer information to help you figure out how to get your questions answered.

I had cataract surgery last year in 2020. While I did not have concerns about medication I was taking I did have a recent history of another eye problem, Vitreomacular Retraction, that concerned me. My retina specialist (an ophthalmologist with a speciality in retina disorders) told me a few years ago that I needed to wait until the retraction resolved or have a surgical correction before I could consider cataract surgery. The retraction resolved in 2019 so before I scheduled the cataract surgery in 2020 I went back to my retina specialist for another exam and asked if I could proceed with the cataract surgery. He said "yes" and so I scheduled the cataract surgery at the same medical center just in case there were any retinal complications. I also told the ophthalmologist during my first cataract appointment about my history of vitreomacular retraction. This is a long way of saying that it's important to check with your physician who prescribed tamsulosin and finisteride and tell them you are planning cataract surgery. Your ophthalmologist who performs the cataract surgery will ask about your medications and then you can have another discussion about your current medications.

I hope talking about my experience with cataract surgery is helpful. It's been a year since I the cataracts were removed and my vision and quality of life are so much better. I wish you all the best as you go forward with improving your vision.

Helen

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.