Cataract surgery is a low-risk operation and is one of the most common procedures performed worldwide. The incidence increases with age, and many patients needing cataract surgery are elderly and often present with comorbidities. Despite the safety and brevity of lens replacement surgery, many practitioners are hesitant to subject those with comorbidities to cataract surgery and improve vision without an extensive and expensive preprocedural evaluation.
After a review of the literature, the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA) published a position statement to assist anesthesiologists caring for those needing cataract surgery (Anesth Analg 2021;133:1431-36). The statement emphasizes that most patients needing cataract surgery may undergo this operation without a preoperative assessment, as this is no longer required. Pre-existing comorbidities do not need to be assessed just for the procedure. The statement reviews critical conditions that warrant postponing cataract surgery, including acute lung, cardiac, and neurological conditions, malignant hypertension, and...