Retinal detachment and cataract surgery?

Q: My brother is having cataract and retinal detachment in right eye. He would like to undergo cataract surgery only as detachment is there for the past 3-4 years and is not giving any problem. Is it ok to undergo cataract surgery only?

A:If your brother indeed has retinal detachment in the right eye and it has not been repaired then he probably does not see well out of that eye. If he has useful vision in that eye, then perhaps retinal detachment was repaired in the past. The point is that it is the retina which forms the image and without a functional retina there is no way your brother can see. A retina specialist evaluation before cataract surgery is a good idea.Regarding cataract surgery, if your doctors feel that there is going to be vision benefit after the surgery, then it is reasonable to proceed with the surgery. An acrylic intraocular lens should be implanted (not a silicone lens). Otherwise the cataract surgery should be like any other routine cataract surgery.