Risk of Cataract Surgery in RP

The reduced vision in RP can be progressive photoreceptor cell death and treatable complications of RP, including cataract and macular edema. The major symptom of cataract is glare, especially in bright light. The cataract surgery time in RP is earlier than age-related cataract, with an average at 30 to 59 years old. The potential risks of cataract surgery, for example, ocular inflammation and increased eye pressure play a role in RP progression. During photoreceptor cell death, inflammatory cells are activated by releasing inflammatory substances that contribute to rod and cone cell death. This eventually accelerates vision loss.

The researchers demonstrate that StemActiv regulates inflammation and slows down the progression of RP, mainly through preventing rods and cones death and maintaining the retinal integrity for a longer time. Therefore, it is wise to use anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent these adverse affairs before and after cataract surgery.