Abstract

Eyesight is vital to a person's development and quality of life. There are several different eye surgeries that can restore significant function, but there is always the possibility for devastating complications, such as partial or complete loss of vision. The purpose of this review is to explore the literature regarding commonly reported neurological and psychological side effects of various eye surgeries. The databases PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched to identify studies. Thirty studies met the review criteria, which were published between 2017 and 2023. Numerous adverse effects were reported (N=9), including but not limited to vision loss, sympathetic ophthalmia, proptosis, posterior scleritis, dysphotopsia, transient hypotony, and dry eyes. The majority of these adverse effects (N=7) were attributed to cataract surgery. There were various neurological benefits reported as well (N=9), such as structural improvement in the brain (white matter plasticity and increased gray matter volume), with several studies (N=3) finding that cataract surgery improved cognitive function in geriatric populations. The psychosocial impact and effects on quality of life (N=13) were mixed. Distress, depression, and both pre-and post-operative anxiety were reported (N=3), with some reporting happiness and improved quality of life postoperatively (N=3). Other studies (N=7) reported difficulty adapting to new visual status, new visual disturbances, or little to no change in preoperative symptoms that resulted in no significant improvement or worsening in quality of life. This review highlights the risks and benefits of common eye surgeries, which can aid physician discretion in patient treatment.