Serious complications are rare, but include infection and bleeding. Very rarely vision may be lost as a result of complications. The more experienced the surgeon, the lower the risk of complications. In the majority of cases, vision improves within a few days of surgery. Sometimes glasses may be required for distance vision after surgery - and usually reading glasses are required. Very occasionally lens implants are removed and replaced. In less than 1% of cases, vitreous loss may occur, requiring further surgery (adding 10-15 minutes onto the surgery time) and this may mean the vision is blurred for longer after the surgery. Inflammation may occur after cataract surgery, and this can cause sensitivity to light for a few weeks. Severe infection is rare (i.e. less than 1 in 5000 cases) and can be treated (but must be treated urgently) - vision however may be lost as a result of infection.

Overall, cataract surgery is one of the safest operations performed in the UK.