A cataract is an eye condition in which the eye lens is blocked or clouded, blocking some light from entering it and affecting vision. It’s typically treated with surgery, where the clouded lens is removed. Sometimes, this involves inserting an intraocular lens implant, either from a donor or an artificial one.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that leads to vision loss. It’s often without other symptoms and is due to damage to the optic nerve, which transfers visual information from the retina to the brain via electrical impulses.

It’s possible for cataract surgery to affect the pressure of your eye, either temporarily or permanently. Long-term pressure can lead to glaucoma, though the lifetime risk is still undetermined.

Research has shown that cataract surgery on infants and children poses the highest risk for developing glaucoma later in life. This subtype of glaucoma is called “glaucoma following cataract surgery” (GFCS).

A 2020 analysis of a randomized trial of infantile cataract surgery, including 114 participants between the ages of 1 and 6 months born with a cataract, showed that the risk for glaucoma increased by 22% at 10-year follow-up appointments, up from 9% at 1-year follow-ups and 17% at 5-year follow-ups.

Additionally, another 20% were deemed to be “glaucoma suspect” at 10-year follow-ups. This referred to those with one or both eyes with above normal eye pressure or other atypical signs potentially related to glaucoma.

Researchers determined that the risk for glaucoma rises following cataract removal in infancy. They recommended lifelong surveillance for the development of glaucoma following this procedure.

A study published in 2024 noted that in its participants, most cases of glaucoma were diagnosed more than 30 years after the cataract surgery.

A 2022 review of 39 studies on GFCS between 1995 and 2021 showed that this type of glaucoma is most difficult to treat when the eye pressure created by cataract surgery was too high for too long (uncontrolled).

Glaucoma typically does not cause symptoms in its early stages, where it’s typically discovered in a routine eye exam. In later stages, it can cause:

  • changes to your peripheral vision
  • pain in the affected eye
  • blurry vision from the affected eye
  • eye redness
  • hazy-looking cornea (which is typically clear)

There are several treatments for glaucoma available, including:

  • eye drops to lower eye pressure, including:
    • rho kinase inhibitors
    • nitric oxides
    • miotic or cholinergic agents
  • laser procedures, such as:
    • laser trabeculotomy
    • cyclophotocoagulation
    • laser iridotomy
  • surgery, such as:
    • glaucoma drainage device implantation
    • cyclodestruction
    • microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS)

Medical researchers agree that anyone who had cataract surgery in childhood should visit an eye care doctor annually to monitor their risk for developing glaucoma.

Anyone who has received a glaucoma or high eye pressure diagnosis should visit their doctor every 4 to 6 months. Additionally, see an eye care doctor if you develop any of the symptoms of glaucoma.

Researchers in the 2020 review stopped short of recommending that cataract surgery be postponed because that condition can lead to other vision and eye health complications.

However, if a doctor recommends surgery for cataracts, it’s important not to delay the surgery, as cataracts can also cause serious side effects that affect your vision.