EGPA and catract surgery

[Abbylilly]

Has anyone who has EGPA had cataract surgery? What was your outcome?

[AmyS1]

A lot of people on high dose steroids for a long time get a particular type of cataract due to the steroids. Make sure that you speak to your vasculitis consultant and that he liasies with the ophthalmologist. Usually cataract surgery is viewed as low risk.

[Abbylilly in reply to AmyS1]

Thank you Amy S1

I will definitely take your advice. Things aren't so cut & dry when you have EGPA. I suffered with hives for 2 years & going for my second nasal polyop surgery.

[nicholson27]

Hi, I have GPA and before recently going into remission I have 5 surgeries; 2 were sinus surgeries, one was a DCR which is to make a hole through the side of the nose to stop eye tearing due to scarred shut tear ducts and the other 2 were cataract surgeries to remove cataracts caused by high steroid use over the past 3 years. One of the cataract ops was routine and the other complex due to other eye problems caused by the GPA. The first op was done by Guys hospital and the other 4 by Addenbrookes. The only problem I experienced with any of these was after the one at Guys as they did not give any additional steroid cover which caused a big increase in disease activity post op. I transferred my care to Addenbrookes after this and all procedures carried out there have included appropriate antibiotic and steroid cover either by increasing oral prednisolone around the time of the ops or giving IV methyl prednisolone on the day at the discretion of the surgeons. The main thing is communication with the doctor in overall charge of your treatment. In my case this was the team in the Addenbrookes vasculitis clinic who would discuss my case with the ophthalmology or ENT surgeons and together agree on how to proceed thus minimising the chances of GPA complications.

As you say, all surgery carries greater risk when you have a vasculitis condition but in my experience can still be safely carried out with the correct precautions.

Hope this helps and good luck with the cataracts. The standard lens replacement procedure is very straightforward and painless and the results are quite miraculous.

[Abbylilly]

nickleson 27 Thanks a lot for you reply. I think that I learned more about this condition from your experiences than I did from my doctor's in two years.

You have eased my mind about the cataract surgery . I will get my two doctors talking about what is best for me

Thank you for replying so quickly .I hope that your surgeries are done

At least for a good while

[Figgy123]

I have ANCA Negative Vasculitis and underwent cataract surgery earlier this year. I am pleased to report that the operation was successful without any problems at all.