CONCLUSION
Although postoperative care after cataract surgery
can vary in practice, a similar goal of improved
visual function is shared among all practitioners.
Nearly all patients, including those with preexisting
conditions such as diabetic retinopathy or AMD,
report significant improvements in vision and quality
of life after surgery [65–67]. In fact, a recent study
[68&] looking at Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years
and older with diagnosis of a cataract demonstrated
that patients who had cataract surgery showed a
lower risk of hip fracture within 1 year of surgery
than those who had not had cataract surgery. In the
postoperative period, activity restrictions and medication
regimens should be designed to prevent
possible complications. Effective follow-up should
be flexible enough to accommodate for individual
differences in patient progress. Future research
should focus on outcome measures related to different
activity and medication regimens. Studies to
improve diagnostic and treatment modalities for
possible complications would also be warranted.