Risk of Age-related Macular Degeneration 4 to 5 Years after Cataract Surgery

The potential for eyes after cataract surgery to have an increased risk of progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has long been of concern.1 We previously reported 3-year follow-up findings from the Australian Cataract Surgery and Age-related Macular Degeneration (CSAMD) study showing no increased incidence of early or late AMD in eyes 3 years after surgery, compared with nonoperated fellow eyes of the same patients.2 A recent 20-year follow-up report from the Beaver Dam Eye Study (BDES) once again confirmed that cataract surgery was associated with an increased incidence of late but not early AMD over the long-term.