You may have heard those ads urging you to tell your eye surgeon if you are taking Flomax. If you’re a man over the age of 40, you may be aware of Flomax®, a common prescription medication used to treat enlarged prostate. More and more women are taking Flomax as well for urinary issues.
Like most prescription drugs, Flomax comes with certain side effects and risks of complications, including one that can seriously affect the outcome of cataract surgery: intraoperative floppy iris syndrome, or IFIS.
Keep reading to learn what you need to know about Flomax and IFIS as a cataract surgery patient in Tampa Bay.
How Flomax® Impacts Cataract Surgery in Tampa Bay
Flomax® is an oral medication, classified as an alpha-1 blocker, that restores normal urine function in men with an enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hypertrophy). It works by relaxing the muscles in the bladder and prostate. Unfortunately, this medication can have an undesired effect on the iris muscles during cataract surgery.
Ideally, the iris remains dilated during surgery, allowing Dr. Mahootchi to see inside the eye. This is easy to achieve with pre-operative drops for most patients. But, for those taking Flomax, floppy iris syndrome (IFIS) can become an issue.
IFIS occurs when the iris muscle is abnormally relaxed and flaccid or “floppy” gradually constricting during cataract surgery. This obstructs your Tampa surgeon’s view of the cataract.
Stopping the medicine doesn’t stop IFIS. In fact, using the med once long ago can still give you IFIS.
How We Manage IFIS During Tampa Cataract Surgery
Luckily for our patients, we offer multiple solutions to manage IFIS during Tampa cataract surgery. In fact, Dr. Mahootchi assumes that everyone may develop IFIS during surgery and we have over the years developed many techniques to make the surgery safe. Usually, we use a medication called Phenyl-Lido during the procedure, which safely resolves the issue. We can also use the Malyugin Ring®, which helps dilate and stabilize the iris in cataract surgery.
Both of these options are very safe and effective for IFIS. We also keep a range of other solutions on hand at our Tampa clinic, ensuring no patient has to suffer from IFIS related complications. Dr. Mahootchi foresees potential problems and addresses them both pre-emptively for your Tampa area cataract surgery, providing superior outcomes for our patients. Schedule your consultation today!