Queen Elizabeth II has successful cataract surgery

Even the Queen couldn’t avoid getting cataracts! A news release from Buckingham palace revealed that Queen Elizabeth II recently underwent successful cataract surgery. The Queen turned 92 in April; I am impressed that she didn’t need to have cataract surgery sooner as most patients develop visually significant cataracts earlier in life. However, I have seen a number of patients in their 80s and 90s who have impressively clear lenses (the part of the eye that develops a cataract) and don’t yet need cataract surgery. Family history and genetics can predispose to cataract development, along with systemic health conditions (i.e. diabetes) and environmental exposures (i.e. excessive sun exposure).

To date, the oldest patient I have performed cataract surgery on was 94 at the time. She was quite spry and in great overall health (not unlike the queen!). Following her successful surgery she noticed an improvement in her ability to read and see the faces of her great grandchildren! She was quite happy and a joy to care for.

Cataract surgery is almost always an elective procedure, which means that it is up to the patient to decide when to proceed with the eye surgery. I counsel patients that modern cataract surgery has an incredibly good success rate (arguably one of the best in medicine), but that no surgery is 100% without the chance of complications. As such, the patient must have a cataract that is causing impairment in their ability to see and perform daily activities and hobbies that they enjoy. Visual problems may also include bothersome glare when driving at night, leading to patients to be more reluctant to drive at night. An eye doctor can examine your eyes to evaluate for the presence and severity of cataracts.