Can Cataract Surgery Be Redone?

An eye surgeon performing cataract surgery on a patient.

Cataract surgery cannot be reversed, since the cloudy natural lens of the eye is removed during a cataract procedure and cannot be put back in.

But if there is a problem with the intraocular lens (IOL) used during your procedure or some other type of cataract surgery complication develops, certain aspects of the surgery can be adjusted or redone. This includes repositioning the IOL or removing it and replacing it with a different lens.

For example, if a multifocal IOL is implanted to correct presbyopia and it doesn't provide adequate near vision or it causes halos or other vision problems, it can be removed and replaced with a different presbyopia-correcting IOL or a conventional single vision IOL.

Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most frequently performed surgical procedures in the United States. The need to revise a cataract procedure is rare.