Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataract are two of the leading causes of vision loss in the United States. Until recently, it was unclear whether some patients with AMD had disease progression shortly after having cataract surgery. A recent study showed that cataract surgery does not accelerate macular degeneration to any significant degree. This was a large (over 4000 patients), prospective, randomized clinical trial with long-term follow-up. This should help reassure patients that surgery does not seem to have a direct relationship with AMD progression.